Vaccination for Children, by Dr. Davinder Singh (April 2024)

Vaccines have saved more lives in Manitoba in the last 50 years than any other medical intervention. Because vaccines are so effective, it is possible to forget that serious diseases like measles or polio once circulated here and left countless children with serious and sometimes lifelong complications. It took a concerted public health effort and buy-in from caregivers to have their children vaccinated, to lower disease rates and prevent outbreaks in Manitoba.

To protect our children, we must continue to ensure they are vaccinated according to Manitoba's childhood immunization schedule. This means that children between two-months and 6 years of age should be vaccinated against several serious vaccine preventable diseases, including pertussis (whooping cough), polio, pneumococcal infection, measles, and meningococcal infection, among others. These immunizations are offered free of charge to Manitoba residents registered with Manitoba Health.

While no medicine is ever 100 percent risk-free, we know it is much safer for children to be immunized than it is for them to catch a vaccine-preventable disease, and that being immunized is safer than many activities we do everyday, like driving or riding in a car. The risk of death from invasive meningococcal disease, for example, is about one in ten, even with appropriate medical treatment. The risk of a severe allergic reaction from the meningococcal vaccine is about one in a million, and the reaction is temporary and treatable with appropriate care.

Before a vaccine is made available for public use, it is rigorously tested for safety and effectiveness. Even after a vaccine is made publicly available, public health officials in Manitoba and across Canada continually monitor for safety following immunization.

The risk of a vaccine-preventable disease outbreak in Manitoba is real. Manitoba's childhood vaccination rates have decreased in recent years, leaving more children vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases, including infants too young for immunizations and for whom herd immunity is particularly important.

There is also the potential for rapid community spread of some highly contagious diseases. Measles cases, for instance, are increasing in other parts of Canada and Canada's Chief Public Health Officer warned recently that the risk of rapid spread among schools and childcare centres is high.

Another example is meningococcal disease. Manitoba had 13 cases of meningococcal disease between December 21, 2023 and March 28, 2024, including one death. Manitoba's childhood vaccination program is reviewed regularly and updated when necessary to respond to changing conditions. Public Health recently announced changes to its infant meningococcal vaccine program to protect against more strains of meningococcal disease. There is also a catch-up campaign for children born between January 1, 2020, and February 28, 2023, including for those who received a dose of the previous meningococcal vaccine.

Caregivers are encouraged to talk to their health-care provider about their child's vaccine history. It is important to vaccinate children on time because vaccination schedules are designed to provide vaccines before children are likely to be exposed to the disease. We also know that Covid-19 interrupted many families' immunization plans. Fortunately, if a child has not received all recommended vaccines for their age, they can still catch up and it's important to get them back on schedule.

Information about the province's childhood immunization schedule, including a chart outlining vaccination timelines, is available at
https://www.gov.mb.ca/health/publichealth/cdc/div/index.html.

It took a concerted effort to start Canada's successful childhood vaccination programs many decades ago and it will take a similarly concerted effort to keep childhood vaccination programs going. Manitoba's children are worth that effort.

Dr. Davinder Singh, MD, JD, MSc, FRCPC
Medical Officer of Health
Southern Health-Santé Sud
Manitoba Health, Seniors and Long-Term Care