Next week, starting April 21, is National Immunization Week. The theme of this year’s National Immunization Awareness Week (NIAW) is ​“Don’t let history repeat itself. Protect your future. Get immunized.” 

Physicians play a key role when it comes to protecting the public against vaccine-preventable illnesses. Check to see whether paediatric clients are caught up on their MMR/MMRV vaccinations according to the Routine Immunization Schedule. Please also note that infants 6 months to less than 12 months of age and traveling to a measles-endemic country are eligible for 1 dose of the MMR vaccine, in addition to the routine 2 dose series.

For more information, check out Manitoba Health, Seniors, and Long-Term Care’s resources:

• Province of Manitoba | Vaccine-Preventable Illnesses

• Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Vaccines | Province of Manitoba

Remember: Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective tools for preventing the spread of serious diseases. Take measles as an example. Before vaccinations, about 10,000 to 90,000 people living in Canada were infected with measles every year. Since the introduction of the measles vaccine in Canada, measles cases have decreased by more than 99%.