Ontario children aged five to 11 will be eligible to book COVID-19 vaccination appointments beginning on Tuesday (November 23).

On Friday, Health Canada approved the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, a modified formulation which is one-third the dose (10 micrograms instead of 30 micrograms) of the vaccine available for those 12 and older. The recommended interval between the two doses for full vaccination is eight weeks.

Ontario expects to receive over one million doses of the paediatric vaccine from the federal government, which will then be immediately distributed to public health units, pharmacies, and primary care settings across the province. This is enough vaccine to provide first doses to all eligible Ontario children aged five to 11.

“Offering the protection of the vaccine to children aged five to 11 is a significant milestone in Ontario’s fight against COVID-19 in advance of the holiday season,” says Ontario health minister Christine Elliott in a media release. “We continue to encourage all Ontarians to roll up their sleeves and get vaccinated to protect themselves, their families and their communities.”

As of 8 a.m. on Tuesday, COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children aged five to 11 can be booked through the COVID-19 vaccination portal at covid19.ontariohealth.ca or by calling the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900.

The vaccine will also be available directly through public health units using their own booking system, through participating pharmacies, and through participating primary care providers.

In the Peterborough area, dedicated family-friendly paediatric vaccination clinics for children aged five to 11 will be offered at the Healthy Planet Arena (formerly Evinrude Centre, at 911 Monaghan Road in Peterborough) Mondays to Thursdays and in schools throughout the city and county. The first clinic appointments will be available starting Monday, November 29th.

Parents or caregivers of children aged five to 11 will usually have to provide consent on behalf of the child, either in advance or at the time of the vaccination appointment. Consent forms will be provided online and in paper at clinics.

Vaccine certificates with QR codes will be available for inoculated children, although there is no current requirement in Ontario for children aged five to 11 to show proof of vaccination.

According to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), while most children infected with the COVID-19 virus have no or mild symptoms, some infected children may rarely develop severe COVID-19 disease and require hospitalization.

Infected children are also at risk of developing multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), following infection with the COVID-19 virus. MIS-C is a serious but rare event that can occur several weeks following infection.

NACI also says infected children may be at risk of a post COVID-19 condition known as long COVID or post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, although current limited evidence suggests the risk is lower in children compared to older age groups.

According to NACI, the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is 90.7 per cent effective. Interim clinical findings did not indicate any serious safety concerns with the paediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. No cases of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) or pericarditis (inflammation of the heart lining) related to the vaccine were reported. Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and NACI will continue to monitor the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine.

The provincial government is encouraging parents, caregivers, and children who have questions about the vaccine to visit ontario.ca/covidvaccinekids, to call the Provincial Vaccine Confidence Line at 1-833-943-3900 or to visit COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service at sickkids.ca/vaccineconsult to book a confidential phone appointment with a SickKids clinician.

A 37-year-old Oshawa man died after his vehicle rolled over during a multiple-vehicle collision on the southbound lanes of Highway 115 near Manvers on Monday morning (November 22).

Peterborough County OPP and emergency crews responded to the scene of the collision near Porter Road, which resulted in the closure of all lanes of the highway.

Police report three vehicles entered the centre median, resulting in three separate collisions in close proximity to each other.

One of the vehicles rolled over, resulting in the driver suffering fatal injuries.

Police have since identified the victim as David Legris, 37, of Oshawa.

The northbound lanes were closed at Porter Road and the southbound lanes were closed at Tapley Quarter Line until around 6 p.m. on Monday afternoon.

Police are continuing to investigate the collision.

The original version of this story has been updated with additional information released by the Peterborough County OPP.

Environment Canada has issued a snow squall warning for Monday afternoon (November 22) for the northern Kawarthas Lakes, including Fenelon Falls, and a snow squall watch for the southern Kawartha Lakes including Lindsay.

A winter weather travel advisory for Haliburton County also remains in place Monday morning.

Snow squalls from Georgian Bay are forecast to move into the region late on Monday afternoon. These squalls will bring rapidly accumulating snowfall and reduced visibility at times due to blowing snow, with strong northwesterly winds gusting up to 70 km/h.

For the northern Kawartha Lakes, local snowfall accumulations of 15 to 25 cm are expected by Tuesday morning, with amounts up to 30 cm possible in areas that experience persistent snow squalls. Snow squalls will dissipate Tuesday morning.

For the southern Kawartha Lakes, snowfall accumulations of 5 to 10 cm are expected, with snow squalls expected to dissipate Monday night.

In both areas, travel will be impacted including the evening commute. Motorists are advised to exercise caution.

In Haliburton County, a winter weather travel advisory remains in place, with snow squalls persisting throughout Monday morning. Snowfall accumulations of 5 to 10 cm are expected with locally up to 15 cm possible in areas experiencing the most intense squalls. The snow squalls are forecast to move out of the area this afternoon.

This story updates a previous snow squall warning and winter travel advisory issued on Sunday.

The Garnet, located at 231 Hunter Street West in downtown Peterborough, has been sold.

Current owner Chad Emby announced the sale to Kim Cameron and John Clarke on The Garnet’s social media accounts on Friday (November 19).

“We want to thank the community for supporting us over the last seven years, and we wish the new owners Kim and John much success in the future,” Emby writes.

Emby purchased the business, when it was called The Red Garnet, from the former owner in 2014. It is one of the last remaining small music venues in downtown Peterborough, featuring local and touring artists.

The new owners plan to open a new British-style pub called Crook & Coffer in the location in 2022. The new venue will continue to offer live music.

Emby writes The Garnet will still be available for private parties during the month of December, and all previously booked live music dates will be honoured.

This story has been corrected.

One person is dead and another seriously injured following a two-vehicle collision on Friday night (November 19) on Highway 35 around 22 kilometres south of Lindsay.

Kawrtha Lakes OPP and emergency crews responded to the collision near Highway 7A East at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Police report an SUV was travelling southbound on Highway 35 when, for unknown reasons, it crossed into the northbound lane and struck a pick-up truck.

The driver of the SUV was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the pick-up truck was transported to a Toronto-area hospital with serious injuries.

Police have not yet released the identity of driver of the SUV who died.

Highway 35 was closed between Highway 7A East and Lifford Road overnight while police documented the scene.

The Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA) holiday window contest is back for another year, with small businesses in downtown Peterborough competing for votes for the best-decorated festive window.

The business that gets the most votes for their holiday window will win a $1,000 cash prize, with the second and third place businesses winning $500 and $200.

The theme for this year’s contest is “Holiday Cheer”.

“I love seeing our shop windows illuminated with lights and holiday decorations,” says DBIA executive director Terry Guiel in a media release. “Our merchants always create top-notch displays that bring a wonderful festive spirit into the downtown core.”

You can vote for your favourite festive windows every day until Monday, December 6th at holidawindowcontest.wishpondpages.com/photo-contest-3-2659496/.

The Peterborough DBIA has also created a holiday window map showing the locations of the holiday windows, along with the best spots in the downtown where you can enjoy hot chocolate as you take the tour.

For more information, visit theboro.ca/holiday-window-contest/.

While there has been an increase in the emergence of new COVID-19 cases in the Peterborough area over the past two weeks, Peterborough’s acting medical officer of health says we’re not at the point of seeing earlier pandemic-related restrictions reinstated — at least not yet.

During a Peterborough Public Health media briefing held Thursday (November 18), Dr. Ian Gemmill said such a determination would be based on “close monitoring and good judgment.”

“What we’re seeing are some significant percentage increases but still relatively low numbers,” he added.

“We will remain vigilant, checking our case count every single day. If we start seeing increases that make us think that make us think we have undocumented transmission in the community, we would have to look at various measures to keep our community safer. When we start getting cases where we cannot find a source, and if we get enough of these, that worries us. That’s going to be the number one trigger for us to look at what additionally needs to be done. That isn’t out of the question anywhere in Ontario, including Peterborough.”

As of late Wednesday afternoon, there were 21 active cases in the region with 108 close contacts of cases being monitored. Both these numbers are up markedly from the last briefing two weeks ago, when 12 active cases and 36 close contacts were reported.

To date this week since Monday morning, 10 new local cases have emerged — the same number as reported during the entire week of October 25. Since then, weekly new case counts have totalled 24 and 21 respectively. Meanwhile, the total number of COVID-related deaths reported since the pandemic’s onset remains at 24. As for outbreaks, none are reported at present.

According to Donna Churipuy, Peterborough Public Health’s director of public programs and incident commander, the fourth wave of the pandemic is “playing out somewhat differently” — a reference to that fact some regions of Ontario that were hot spots during previous waves aren’t seeing new case increases at present.

The flip side of that is some areas, like the Kingston region, that “escaped major case surges during previous waves” according to Churipuy, are seeing a hike in their numbers.

“This reflects how unpredictable the virus is and why it is so important to continue to limit travel as much as possible,” she added.

Meanwhile, on the vaccination front, modest increase in the uptake continue to be seen.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, 87.3 per cent of eligible residents aged 12 and up have received one dose while 84.5 per cent have received two doses. In the age 12 to 17 group, 87.3 per cent have received one dose while 82.1 per cent are now fully immunized.

Peterborough Public Health is now reporting booster shot response as well to date, noting 3.1 per cent of local residents aged 18 years old and older who are eligible for a third shot have received it. In the 70 years old and older group, 9.1 per cent have received that added protection.

Dr. Gemmill noted that while those numbers seem low, it’s important to remember that those eligible for a booster shot — individuals aged 70 and up, health care workers and essential caregivers in congregate settings, those who received two doses of AstraZeneca or one dose of Janssen, and First Nations people and their non-Indigenous household members — aren’t eligible for that shot until six months after their last shot.

As such, he expects booster shot numbers to increase significantly as that benchmark is reached by more of those eligible.

Those seeking a third shot can book an appointment online at covid19.ontariohealth.ca or by phone at 1-833-943-3900. Walk-ins will not be accommodated.

Dr. Gemmill also addressed the pending Health Canada approval of a vaccine for children aged five to 11. Approximately 9,000 local children in that age group will be eligible for first shot once the green light is given.

“Once that vaccine (for children) becomes available, that will be a game changer,” said Dr. Gemmill, noting it will put a huge dent in the current situation which sees 25 per cent of the region’s total population unvaccinated.

“We’ll be ready to go as soon as the vaccine arrives in our community, which will likely be a week after Health Canada gives its authorization. As with any new vaccine, parents and caregivers will need to consider the risks of this disease and the benefits of getting their children vaccinated.”

Similar to the booster shot protocol, when the vaccine arrive for children, an appointment must be made. At present, the clinic at the Healthy Planet Arena on Monaghan Road is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m to 3 p.m.

Of note, this media briefing was the final one for Dr. Gemmill, who has been filling in pending the arrival of new Peterborough medical officer of health Dr. Thomas Piggott. Dr. Piggott will in place for next scheduled briefing on December 2.

Also in attendance for Thursday’s media briefing were Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien and board of health chair and Selwyn mayor Andy Mitchell.