2023-11-10 22:35:34
Faced with a low vaccination rate among minors in Manitoba, health experts are urging parents to get their children vaccinated once morest the flu, especially because of the respiratory illness season.
According to provincial data, between September 1 and November 4, 2023, flu vaccination coverage reached 5.3% among children under 5 years old and 4.6% among those aged 5 to 17 years old.
Manitoba’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, is urging parents to vaccinate their children.
According to Dr. Philippe Lagacé-Wiens, microbiologist at Saint-Boniface Hospital, the flu is an illness whose severity is sometimes underestimated by parents. However, it can present complications, particularly in young children.
In addition, it is important to distinguish between a simple cold and the flu which can be very severe, which can deteriorate into pneumonia and lead to hospitalization, says the doctor.
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The month of November is particularly important in terms of immunization since it precedes a wave of infections not only from the flu, but from COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), he explains.
Indeed, the peak of the respiratory illness season generally occurs in December and January, he said.
We are starting to see this earlier, perhaps because of the interruptions that have taken place due to COVID-19, indicates Dr. Lagacé-Wiens.
If vaccination coverage remains low, he fears we will see a scenario similar to last year, when the average daily admission to Winnipeg Children’s Hospital jumped 50% compared to the previous year’s data.
According to Dr. Hélène Decaluwe, pediatric immunologist, researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine and associate clinical professor at the University of Montreal, this was the case everywhere in Canada.
Last fall and at the beginning of last winter, we experienced our pandemic in pediatrics. Our emergency rooms were full, she testifies.
She advises parents not to underestimate the effects of the flu, even if their own infection has been mild.
We forget that children under 5 years old are really at risk of having much more serious complications than their parents, she warns.
In a press release Thursday, a spokesperson for Shared Health indicated that at the Winnipeg Children’s Hospital, although the number of patients is within the data normally observed for this time of year, the Children’s Emergency Department continues to see many cases of respiratory viruses and is preparing for a sustained increase in patient volume.
In Manitoba, the vaccine is available in almost all pharmacies, in all public health units, as well as in several clinics specifically dedicated to flu immunization, informs Dr. Lagacé-Wiens.
In addition to receiving their dose of vaccine, he recommends that sick people stay home and wear a mask if it is essential to leave their home. When you have symptoms, wearing a mask can make all the difference, he says.
With information from Magalie Chinchilla Chaput and Josh Crabb
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