The fall semester is on the way, and BC’s provincial health officer urges you to vaccinate your children.
In a statement issued today, Dr. Bonnie Henry says with the summer holidays wrapping up, families are thinking of getting their kids school supplies, haircuts, and outfits ahead of school.
She says along with those, you should also make sure your children are up to date in vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella, polio, and chicken pox.
“August is the perfect time to take your children for any outstanding vaccines,” said Henry. “As kids start or return to childcare or school, they’ll be interacting with many friends, caregivers and teachers, increasing their chances of being exposed to these and other infectious diseases.”
Henry says this comes as respiratory illness season is coming soon, where it will bring COVID-19, influenza, and other viruses.
To help protect them from these illnesses, Henry encourages you to get your children vaccinated.
For those 6 and under, they can get free vaccines for Covid, polio, influenza, measles, and chickenpox, with free vaccines available at school clinics starting at Grade 6.
For babies or young kids, you can visit HealthLink BC for all the details.
Along with booking appointments at a health unit, at your doctor’s office or nurse practitioner’s office, it’s recommended for young adults to get vaccinated for meningitis and influenza.
Henry adds whether it’s babies or young adults, it’s important to get immunized ahead of the school season.
