National Immunization Awareness Week

April 21-28, 2018

A cornerstone of public health in Canada, vaccination is one of the most effective ways to control, prevent and, in some cases, eliminate infectious diseases. From April 21-28, Canada proudly joins the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO), in celebrating and promoting National Immunization Awareness Week, a time to highlight the importance and effectiveness of vaccination.

History has taught us the importance of vaccination. While infectious diseases were once the leading cause of death in Canada, they are now responsible for fewer than 5% of all deaths in Canada thanks to vaccines. The World Health Organization estimates that, between 2000 and 2016, measles vaccination alone prevented an estimated 20.4 million deaths globally.

Despite this success, not everyone in Canada is vaccinated according to the recommended vaccination schedule. According to the results of the 2015 childhood National Immunization Coverage Survey, while a large majority of parents (97%) agreed that childhood vaccines are safe and effective, only 89% of two-year-olds have received at least one dose of measles vaccine.

We must do more increase vaccinations to the level necessary to prevent the spread of disease, which is why the federal, provincial and territorial governments have set goals to increase vaccination rates by 2025. This is especially important for children, which is why we aim to reach 95% vaccination coverage for infants by age 2 and children by age 7. To get there, our government has committed $25 million over five years to improve vaccination rates. This is in addition to the $18 million we spend annually on immunization initiatives such as surveillance, education, outreach, and guidance on the use of vaccines. To promote the importance of vaccines and increase vaccination rates, the Government of Canada is launching a national awareness campaign on childhood vaccination. This program will provide parents with concrete, factual information to help Canadians make informed decisions about vaccination that will keep their children protected and healthy. You can learn more about this campaign at Canada.ca/ChildhoodVaccines.

As Canadians, we are fortunate that most of us have never known or even seen the serious effects of vaccine-preventable diseases. However, diseases like polio – which once existed in Canada – still exist around the world, and there remains a risk to those who are not vaccinated.

This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic that caused the deaths of 20 to 50 million people worldwide, including an estimated 50,000 Canadians. Yet this tragic anniversary is also a time to reflect on the life-saving medicines and technology that now exist to save lives, including vaccines.

I encourage all Canadians to keep their vaccinations up to date to protect themselves, their children, their parents and their community. This National Immunization Awareness Week, I invite you to learn more about vaccinations and to help spread the message about the importance of being vaccinated. Visit Canada.ca/Vaccines for more information and materials.

Together, we can fight disease and ensure a healthy future for Canada.

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor
Minister of Health