Are your family’s vaccinations up to date?

According to the World Health Organization, one of the most cost-effective health investments is to have your kids vaccinated and ensure their vaccines are up to date. And being vaccinated yourself can help prevent vaccine-preventable illnesses too.

Did you know that by ensuring routine childhood vaccinations you could help protect your child from many diseases? Because so many of these diseases and illnesses aren’t seen first-hand in our communities thanks to vaccination, it can be hard for parents to understand the risks their children face. Even one case of measles can spread quickly when people are not vaccinated. Regardless of the prevalence of recent outbreaks in your area, help prevent vaccine-preventable illnesses by keeping your vaccinations up-to-date.

Vaccination works best when they are administered on-time, beginning when your child is very young. Canada’s vaccination schedule is designed to help protect children before they have been exposed to vaccine-preventable diseases. Because young children are more at-risk for serious complications of certain diseases, they are vaccinated at a very young age to give them the most protection possible against infection, as early as possible.

Children should be vaccinated in multiple stages, and some vaccines need to be administered more than once in order to maximize protection. It’s important to keep track of your child’s vaccinations so you can always be prepared to provide proof that they are up-to-date. For example, in some parts of Canada, children need to have all of their vaccinations up-to-date before starting school or daycare.

Most routine vaccines are available free of charge across Canada, but immunization schedules vary across the country so speak with your healthcare provider to find out what’s best for your child.

You can also visit the routine vaccines page or download the CANImmunize app to get the facts about the vaccination schedules for each province and territory. Visit www.canimmunize.ca to learn more about the CANImmunize app developed by Dr. Kumanan Wilson and his team at The Ottawa Hospital.

Speak with your healthcare professional to find out which vaccine is recommended for you.