With infections like measles and whooping cough on the rise in Canada and around the world, doctors say it’s the perfect time for parents to make sure their children and teens are protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“This is absolutely the time of year when families start thinking about their back-to-school checklists like school supplies… healthy lunches, etc.,” explained Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer of Canada, in an interview.
“Making sure your kids are up to date with routine immunizations is part of that checklist,” she assured, noting that children will once again be mingling in classrooms and diseases can spread.
On Thursday, the New Brunswick Department of Health announced an outbreak of whooping cough, with 141 cases reported so far this year. The province has “strongly encouraged” parents to check the status of their children’s vaccinations as the new school year approaches.
Whooping cough can be very serious and even fatal, especially for very young children, Ms. Tam insisted.
It can also significantly affect healthy children, adolescents and adults, she added.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased reluctance to vaccinate, fuelled by misinformation circulating on social media, explained Dr. Laura Sauvé, President-Elect of the Canadian Paediatric Society.
“Some families have more questions about vaccines than before,” pointed out Ms. Sauvé, who is also a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Tam pointed out that if vaccines have been forgotten, it’s never too late to get them, and that public health units and schools often organize catch-up programs.
She added that before leaving for college or university and living in residence, students should obtain their vaccination records from their parents if they have them, and make sure they are up to date.
A tetanus booster is required every 10 years, say doctors.
The start of the school year also means the arrival of autumn, which marks the beginning of the respiratory virus season, say Ms. Sauvé and Ms. Tam. It’s recommended that anyone aged six months and over get a flu shot, and that they consider updating their COVID-19 vaccine.
There is currently no vaccine against respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, in Canada for school-aged children.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews