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REGINA — Saskatchewan is expanding COVID-19 booster shots to children ages five to 11. 

Health officials say children in that age group will be eligible to receive their third vaccine dose as of Wednesday through booked appointments or at walk-in clinics. 

The province is recommending those children receive the booster at least four months following their second dose.

Immunocompromised children in the age group may have already received their third shot. 

The province says they may now receive an additional dose four months following their third dose.

Health Canada authorized booster doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children earlier this month.

"Receiving this booster dose is especially important for children at higher risk of serious COVID-19 illnesses due to immunosuppression or other chronic health conditions," Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan's chief medical health officer, said in a statement Tuesday.

"I encourage parents of all school-age children to ensure those children have completed their primary series of a first and second dose, and consider the booster dose."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2022. 

The Canadian Press