Pfizer has announced that its COVID vaccine is effective in children under the age of 12, which could be cause for some relieve among parents concerned about the potential spread of the virus in schools, and sport and recreation activities.

Professor of Immunology at the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University, Michael Grant, says it appears however that the vaccine may not be available to children until sometime in the new year.

He says that’s because children, when they do get COVID-19, generally don’t get severe illness.

Also because they’re young and their bodies are still developing, the side effects of the vaccine and the impact on children are getting greater scrutiny from organizations like the FDA in the US, and the Canadian Health Protection Agency.

He says while the virus can be severe in children, it is very rare.