Preparations for Cole Bay outreach underway; Parents and guardians called upon to mark their calendar
Youth Health Care (YHC), a section of the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labour, says its vaccination outreach for the residents of St. Peters on April 27 was a success.
Twenty-six young people up to age 23 made use of the two-hour opportunity to check their vaccination status. The outreach took place at the St. Peters Rupert I. Maynard Community Center.
YHC officials are looking forward to repeating the same success at the Outreach planned for Cole Bay on Tuesday, May 17 at the Charles L. Bell Primary School and are encouraging parents and guardians to mark their calendar.
The outreach is being organized as part of the annual Vaccination Week of the Americas under the theme, "Vaccinate your Family, Protect Your Community."
With respect to St. Peters Outreach, a few file cards were updated and some corrections and updates made to other vaccination cards that parents and guardians brought with them to the outreach.
Parents are reminded that with the change in the vaccination schedule, the second Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) is now given at four-years of age.
All children between four and nine-years of age will now get their second MMR vaccine.
The DTPolio vaccination will continue to be given when the child is nine-years of age.
Other changes in the vaccination schedule apply to children between two and 12 months of age.
Parents are reminded to make sure that their children between the ages of 0-18 are up to date with their vaccinations which are necessary in order to reduce the risk of vaccine-preventable diseases.
DTP, MMR and catch-up Hepatitis B vaccines will be given to children in the target age group who are not up to date.
Immunization is a way of protecting children against serious vaccine preventable diseases. Once a person has been fully vaccinated, their bodies can fight those diseases if one comes into contact with them.
Parents should bring along with them their child’s vaccination booklet/card. If you are not sure of the vaccination status of your child, you should contact your general practitioner, pediatrician, or YHC for children up through 17 years of age.
YHC can also be contacted if you want to verify your own vaccination status.