We, the undersigned, state:

We urge you not to implement any mandate requiring children ages 5-11 to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We urge you to repeal any current mandates that apply to children ages 12-17.

We are families, vaccinated and unvaccinated against COVID-19, united in our mission to safeguard the rights of families to choose whether and when to vaccinate their children against COVID-19. We profoundly believe that each family’s choice, however made, should not affect its children’s ability to attend school, access services, or participate in extracurricular activities and organized sports.

All children must be treated equally, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status. COVID-19 vaccination status should never be a basis upon which to exclude or segregate children.

COVID-19 poses low risk to healthy children. We do not yet know if COVID-19 vaccines are free from long-term harm. Vaccine safety and efficacy data for children under the age of 12 is in its infancy and based on relatively small trial participant numbers.

Whether and when to vaccinate a child must remain a purely personal medical decision, left to that child’s family. Mandates either coerce families into vaccinating children, despite their hesitations to do so, or result in the segregation and alienation of children who remain unvaccinated. Neither of these outcomes should occur in Canada today, particularly given the low risk COVID-19 poses to healthy children.

The negative impacts to children of restricting access to education, services, activities and sports have been made abundantly clear in the lockdowns that occurred earlier in the pandemic. These consequences will worsen for children if they are prevented from participating in society because of their COVID-19 vaccination status.

Given the low risk that COVID-19 poses to healthy children, families must be allowed to choose whether and when to vaccinate their children, without societal consequences. We urge you not to implement any mandate requiring children ages 5-11 to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We also urge you to repeal any current mandates that apply to children ages 12-17.

Sincerely,

Families For Choice

Online: www.familiesforchoice.ca

Facebook: FamiliesForChoice

Twitter: @Families4Choice