Health unit urges community to prioritize routine immunizations
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) advises the community to keep up with routine immunizations.
"Maintaining routine immunizations is important for people of all ages, including adults, as it helps to protect your future health," says Dr. Colin Lee, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit's associate medical officer of health.
SMDHU emphasizes that vaccines are an invaluable public health tool that has led to disease elimination, containment, and control.
National Immunization Awareness Week is April 22 to 30. It is an annual event that highlights the importance of immunization. This year's theme is "Protect your future. Get immunized."
"Over time, the amount of protection some vaccines offer declines, such as those for tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough), so it is important to receive booster doses in adulthood to keep yourself and those around you safe from these and other vaccine-preventable diseases," says Lee. "Additional vaccines, such as for shingles, may also be needed by individuals as they age to protect them from some diseases at different life stages based on their age, health conditions, job, lifestyle or travel habits."
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According to a national vaccine survey conducted in 2021, over 5.3 million Canadians (4 million adults and 1.3 million children) had omitted or delayed routine immunizations due to disruptions caused by the pandemic.
Over the past two years, the health unit has been working to reach children and youth with the vaccines they require under Ontario's Immunizations of School Pupils Act.
The health unit states that vaccination directly protects the individual who received the vaccine and offers indirect protection to those who cannot receive vaccinations or may not respond to immunizations.
"Everyone must catch up with their vaccines with confidence, knowing they are safe and protecting their future health against vaccine-preventable diseases," concluded the health release.
For more information, call the Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.
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