‘Significant increase’ in measles vaccinations in April, says B.C. health minister
Posted May 9, 2019 11:39 am.
Last Updated May 9, 2019 11:51 am.
VICTORIA (NEWS 1130) – The province’s push for everyone in B.C. to catch up on their measles shots is off to a great start according to the health minister.
“We have a significant increase this April over last April. But much of the work this month has been reviewing records, getting letters, getting tens of thousands of consent forms out — and so on,” Adrian Dix said.
“We’ll also see a very significant increase in the number of children who are immunized in pharmacy,” Dix said, noting that figure jumped from 22 last year to 636 this year.
He says about 550,000 letters have been sent out and 129 in-school clinics have taken place. He says over 3,800 measles vaccines were dispensed.
Health authorities focused on reviewing all students’ immunization records after an outbreak that began earlier this year.
The catch-up program is the first step in the government’s two-phase plan to educate people about the importance of immunization and to help them become aware of their own vaccination status.
Nearly 600 more in-school clinics are planned for May and June to help prevent the disease that can spread through the air when an infected person breaths, coughs or sneezes.
“My hope is in May and June, every child who needs to be immunized will have the opportunity to be immunized. That’s our goal in this campaign,” Dix said.
