Parents and public health experts caution against assuming your child wants the COVID-19 vaccine.

Heather Flynn, a registered nurse in Regina, said she was so eager to get her 17-year-old son a vaccine appointment as soon as he became eligible last week that she forgot to tell him about it.

"I didn't have any kind of conversation with him. 'I scheduled your vaccine; you'll get it,' I merely informed him "she stated, "Probably not the finest decision on my part, because he felt hemmed in."

Flynn had expected that, like his elder brother and parents, the teen would be eager to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine, but he soon realized that he was vaccine-hesitant. Flynn claimed he was worried about information he gathered on social media and from friends, but he wouldn't discuss his worries.

In Saskatchewan, anyone over the age of 13 can lawfully choose or refuse a vaccine without the involvement of their parents. The legal age of consent varies by state. In Ontario, anyone aged 12 and up can consent to a vaccine on their own behalf, however, in Quebec, the age limit is 14.

Flynn is sharing her story in the hopes of inspiring other parents and public health experts to have "an open conversation" with their children about any worries or issues they may have about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Some infectious disease professionals believe it's critical to acknowledge that vaccination apprehension exists, whether it's felt by a child or their parents, and that children under the age of 18 should have direct access to accurate, authoritative information so they may determine for themselves if the vaccine is safe and essential.

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