Submitted by Dr Meena Dawar, Medical Health Officer
Do you have a little one about to start kindergarten this September? Or do you have clients or patients with young children? If so, it’s important to make sure that their vaccinations are up-to-date before schools open their doors.
All kindergarten age children, starting age 4, are eligible to receive two free vaccines the Tdap-IPV vaccine booster which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio and the second dose of chicken pox (varicella) vaccine.
While most of these infections are now rare in BC because of routine childhood vaccination programs, the outbreak of whooping cough (also known as pertussis) in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley is a reminder that they are still around and can spread quickly among those who are unprotected.
“When I was a nurse at BC Children’s Hospital, I worked in the respiratory isolation area and saw many infants with pertussis and its devastating effects. Babies were struggling to breathe and so ill, all because of an infection that is preventable with vaccine,” said Nicole Lisle, Registered Nurse and VCH Immunization and Communicable Disease Coordinator. “I urge all parents to ensure their young children get vaccinated as recommended and on time. When your child gets vaccinated, you help protect others as well.”
The free shots can be obtained from family doctors or from public health nurses at VCH community health centres. An immunization visit is a great way to catch up on other shots that might have been missed as part of a child’s infant vaccination series.