There's never been a better time to Buy BC and support local growers, producers and the food we love right here in BC.  Explore Buy BC products
Government of B.C. Government of B.C. Government of B.C. Government of B.C. BC Gov News
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Live Webcast
  • News  
  • News  
  • By Ministry
    • Office of the Premier
    • Agriculture and Food
    • Attorney General
    • Children and Family Development
    • Citizens' Services
    • Education and Child Care
    • Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
    • Energy and Climate Solutions
    • Environment and Parks
    • Finance
    • Forests
    • Health
    • Housing and Municipal Affairs
    • Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
    • Infrastructure
    • Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat
    • Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
    • Labour
    • Mining and Critical Minerals
    • Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
    • Public Safety and Solicitor General
    • Social Development and Poverty Reduction
    • Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Transportation and Transit
    • Water, Land and Resource Stewardship
  • Subscribe
Live Webcast
By Ministry
  • Office of the Premier
  • Agriculture and Food
  • Attorney General
  • Children and Family Development
  • Citizens' Services
  • Education and Child Care
  • Emergency Management and Climate Readiness
  • Energy and Climate Solutions
  • Environment and Parks
  • Finance
  • Forests
  • Health
  • Housing and Municipal Affairs
  • Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
  • Infrastructure
  • Intergovernmental Relations Secretariat
  • Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation
  • Labour
  • Mining and Critical Minerals
  • Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills
  • Public Safety and Solicitor General
  • Social Development and Poverty Reduction
  • Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport
  • Transportation and Transit
  • Water, Land and Resource Stewardship

Health

OPINION-EDITORIAL: National Immunization Awareness Week: Take a shot at preventing disease

Share

More from this Ministry
Honourable Josie Osborne

Honourable Josie Osborne

Honourable Josie Osborne

Read Bio

Contact

Email: HLTH.Minister@gov.bc.ca

close menu Health

Free coffee, tea helps bring health-care workers from Seattle to B.C.

June 19, 2025 11:30 AM
A branded B.C. health-careers coffee truck in Seattle
A branded B.C. health-careers coffee truck is giving out free coffee to doctors, nurses and allied health professionals in Seattle on June 18 and 19, 2025, as part of targeted marketing in the U.S.
  Read More

Farmers’ market program delivers another bountiful harvest

June 18, 2025 3:45 PM
ALL NEWS FROM THIS MINISTRY
More from this Ministry
  • Factsheets & Opinion Editorials
  • Search News
  • Minister's Bio
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Print

Health

British Columbia News

OPINION-EDITORIAL: National Immunization Awareness Week: Take a shot at preventing disease

https://news.gov.bc.ca/08297

Share

Release

Saturday, April 25, 2015 9:00 AM

Share

Release

Saturday, April 25, 2015 9:00 AM

More from this Ministry

  • Factsheets
  • Ministry Website
  • Ministry Photos
  • Ministry Videos

Featured Topics

  • Accessing Health Care
  • Health Connect Registry
  • Health & Drug Coverage
  • Building better mental health and addictions care
  • HelpStartsHere

Featured Services

  • HealthLink BC
  • Medical Services Plan
  • BC PharmaCare

By Dr. Perry Kendall
Provincial Health Officer

VANCOUVER - To circumcise or not?  To use a pacifier or a bottle? How long to breastfeed? New parents are presented with an astounding amount of decisions.

On top of all this, parents are often bombarded with conflicting information, making each decision that much more difficult.

Fortunately, for childhood vaccination there should be no reason for debate. Childhood vaccination is safe, effective and free. It is, as they say  −“Your child’s best shot.” In B.C. the majority of children under two are immunized against 15 vaccine-preventable diseases. Parents are keen to keep their children healthy.

Ironically, however, the very success of immunizations has caused some of us to forget the very real harm vaccine-preventable diseases can cause. As well, misinformation and unfettered access to disinformation, has led some parents to skip and sometimes refuse all vaccines for their children despite the extremely low risk they present.

For example, there is a one in one million risk of a severe (but treatable) allergic reaction to the measles vaccine, whereas the risk of inflammation of the brain to an unvaccinated child or adult who gets measles is over 300 times higher. In fact, many vaccine-preventable diseases can cause serious complications and some can be life threatening.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, can lead to pneumonia, seizures and death for infants and young children. Polio, once one of the most feared childhood diseases, infects the brain and spine and can lead to paralysis, difficulty breathing and death. Measles is highly contagious and can cause blindness, severe diarrhea, pneumonia and brain swelling that could result in deafness or intellectual disabilities and ear infections that could lead to deafness. 

Most Canadians don’t know what it’s like to live in a time and place where diseases like these are common. However, by choosing not to vaccinate our children, we are giving these diseases an opportunity to re-emerge. We saw this with last year’s measles outbreak in the Fraser Valley, whooping cough in under immunized communities and in the continuing circulation (and accompanying risk of exportation) of polio virus in countries where people have limited access to immunizations. 

Fortunately, we live in a place where most childhood vaccines are free and easily available through public-health clinics, doctors’ offices and school-based programs. B.C.’s  comprehensive immunization program for children includes coverage for a wide variety of diseases including measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, meningitis from haemophilus, meningococcus and pneumococcus, as well as hepatitis, polio, influenza, HPV and more.

The vaccines used in B.C. are proven to be safe and effective  − the choice to not immunize or under-immunize leaves children’s health at a far greater risk. This National Immunization Awareness Week, I encourage parents to take the biggest step they can in preventing their children from getting some of the world’s most preventable and sometimes devastating diseases by choosing to vaccinate.

Media Contacts:

Laura Heinze
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)

https://www.facebook.com/BCProvincialGovernment/posts/986971234654502:0
https://news.gov.bc.ca/08297

Related Articles

Free coffee, tea helps bring health-care workers from Seattle to B.C.

June 19, 2025 11:30 AM

Farmers’ market program delivers another bountiful harvest

June 18, 2025 3:45 PM

Western Canada’s first menopause clinic supports more people in B.C.

July 4, 2025 11:30 AM
BC Gov News

Connect with the Ministry

Photos

View the Ministry's latest photos on Flickr.

Videos

Watch the Ministry's latest videos on YouTube.

The B.C. Public Service acknowledges the territories of First Nations around B.C. and is grateful to carry out our work on these lands. We acknowledge the rights, interests, priorities, and concerns of all Indigenous Peoples - First Nations, Métis, and Inuit - respecting and acknowledging their distinct cultures, histories, rights, laws, and governments.

Government of B.C. Government of B.C.

We can help in over 220 languages and through other accessible options.   Call, email or text us, or find a service centre.

Connect with Us

  • Subscribe
  • Social and RSS

More Info

  • BC Gov
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility
  • Copyright
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Government of British Columbia