April 23, 2016
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National Immunization Awareness Week, April 23-30, celebrates the contribution of immunization to public health. Vaccines save about three-million lives worldwide, each year.
“Boost your power. Get vaccinated” is the theme for this year’s awareness week.
Serious diseases, such as diphtheria and polio, are no longer present in Canada, says the Grey Bruce Health Unit. This is not because they don’t exist, but because we immunize – we protect ourselves against them. We hope that vaccine-preventable diseases, such as these and others, will, in time, be eradicated. However, for now, we need to be vigilant and continue to immunize our children and ourselves. If we don’t, there will be outbreaks of infection.
Tetanus is one example of a disease that requires booster shots throughout life. It is present in dust, dirt and soil. You can get it through cuts, scraps and animal bites, but because of the protection we get from immunization, cases are rare. Adults need to be immunized against tetanus every 10 years. If you don’t remember when you received your last booster, speak to your health care provider about getting one.
Vaccines are safe and effective. They prepare your body to fight diseases. They contain a small number of germs that have been killed or weakened. These stimulate the immune system to protect itself against the disease.
Ninety-six per cent of Grey-Bruce residents with school-aged children, believe that immunizing children protects them from disease (GBHU, 2014). Immunizing our children also helps to protect those that cannot be immunized.
Protect your children. Protect yourself. Immunization is a life-long responsibility.
To learn how vaccines boost your power, visit Canada.ca/Vaccines, #ONvaccine, #NIAW2016, #vaccineswork, or Your Health Immunization.
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