April 23, 2024
Statement from Chief Provincial Public Health Officer Dr. Brent Roussin on National Immunization Awareness Week
For decades, Manitobans have benefited from the collective health and well-being that vaccinations offer. Routine immunizations save the lives of thousands of Canadians each year, a fact borne out by decades of evidence and data collection.
But beyond their life-saving capacity, vaccines keep us healthy in all of life’s stages. Children can attend school, participate in recreational activities and socialize with their friends without parents having to worry about them catching a vaccine-preventable disease. Vaccines keep adults healthy, so we’re able to earn a living and support our families with fewer interruptions due to serious illness. Seniors can live active, healthy and longer lives because vaccines keep illness at bay.
We’ve witnessed measles outbreaks not just in our country, but also in the United States and globally. Measles, a highly contagious disease, can lead to severe complications including brain infection. However, these outbreaks are preventable. Each one of us plays a crucial role in safeguarding ourselves and our community against measles through vaccination. Two doses of the measles vaccine are nearly 100 per cent effective against a measles infection, underscoring the power of collective action.
It’s National Immunization Awareness Week, a good reminder to catch up on any vaccines you or your loved ones might have missed. We know the pandemic interrupted access to vaccines, but we can get back on track. Be sure to also take the time to update your immunization records – especially if you’ve received vaccines in other provinces or countries.
This week is also a time to consider how easy or difficult it is for Manitobans of all backgrounds, means and locations to get vaccinated. Families and individuals who face barriers to accessing primary care services are at risk of worse health outcomes including complications and severe outcomes due to disease. Addressing health inequities is an important part of our work in public health and we are grateful to the many partners, community leaders, governments and other stakeholders who work to address systemic racism and inequality that affect access to immunization and other health care.
Protect yourself and those you love by getting vaccinated. Know your vaccine history, update your vaccine records and request your vaccine record to have on hand. If you have questions about vaccinations, talk to your health-care provider.
Records can be requested and updated online at www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/div/records.html, through your local public health office or your health-care provider.
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