Today marks the beginning of National Immunization Awareness Week (NIAW), celebrated each year to highlight the importance of vaccines to our individual and collective health. This week is an opportunity to look back on the last hundred plus years and reflect on everything vaccination has done to keep us healthy and improve our quality of life.
A century ago, vaccine preventable diseases, like diphtheria and whooping cough, were among the leading causes of death in Canada and abroad. Thanks to vaccination, and the dedication of people across Canada who continue to make sure their vaccinations are up to date, many of us have grown up without fear of these diseases.
Today, vaccines continue to contribute to the elimination of diseases, such as measles and cervical cancer. They are also used to help prevent painful conditions like shingles. Most recently, vaccines have played a crucial role in our fight against COVID-19, helping to save the lives of millions of people in Canada. What vaccines have accomplished historically as well as their potential for the future is remarkable.
That is why, as part of Canada's National Immunization Strategy, we have set vaccination coverage goals and vaccine preventable disease reduction targets, which are based on international standards and best practices. We have made great progress towards many of these goals, particularly among children and adolescents.
This year, let's remember the importance of staying up to date with our routine immunizations so that we can catch up with everyone we love with confidence, knowing that we are safe and protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.
If you haven't recently updated your vaccination status, check with your healthcare provider - you may be able to strengthen your defences against vaccine preventable diseases and help keep yourself and your community safer. There's strength (and health) in numbers, especially when it comes to vaccination, so let's catch up on our vaccines.
