Watch above: To vaccinate or not to vaccinate that is the question some school districts in the country are answering for parents by requiring children to receive shots before enrolling in school. Meaghan Craig finds out what the situation is in Saskatchewan and what officials here plan to do to track students this fall.
SASKATOON – It’s a polarizing discussion in many households across the nation and this week that conversation heated up. Canadian physicians are calling for parents to provide proof that their children are vaccinated before they can head to school.
The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) passed a resolution at its annual general meeting held in Halifax this week.
READ MORE: Have you vaccinated your child? CMA calls for proof before kids go to school
Ontario and New Brunswick are the only two provinces that require proof of immunization in order for a child to attend school, which has led many to wonder if Saskatchewan is next.
Dr. Julie Kryzanowski, deputy medical health officer for the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR), said she isn’t opposed to the idea but proof of vaccination shouldn’t be the be-all and end-all when it comes to children’s immunization health.
“I think that it could increase immunization rates but only as part of other interventions to increase immunization rates as well.”
Ten years ago, health officials in the region noticed a difference in immunization rates depending on what neighbourhood you lived in. According to Kryzanowski, immunization coverage ranged anywhere from 50 to 90 per cent though a number of intensive efforts SHR managed to narrow that gap.
“We did that through a number of interventions like telephone reminders systems, using our community program builders to do home visits to offer immunizations service to clients where they were at and basically decreases barriers to immunization programming.”
Immunizations in the SHR are scheduled according to provincial recommendations and simply put, said Kryzanowski, vaccines save lives.
“Vaccines are one of the most effective intervention that public health can offer to prevent disease.”
Health officials say life-threatening illnesses could spread like wild fire at schools especially if they’re airborne as is the case with the measles.
“One person going through a school, you can have dozens of cases,” said Dr. Saqib Shahab, Saskatchewan’s chief public health officer.
READ MORE: Immunization rates for toddlers ‘sub-optimal,’ say experts
Education Minister Don Morgan added that he would encourage families to get their children vaccinated but would hate to see it come to proof of immunization.
“We want to have the schools safe and secure for all of the students so we urge parents don’t send your child to school if the child is sick or ill, don’t send your child to school with things that are allergens for other children and to the extent that you can have kids vaccinated, do it.”
Earlier this week, CMA president Dr. Chris Simpson described the motion as “mandatory checkpoints.” The resolution would require parents to provide proof to school officials of their child’s immunization status in each and every province.
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Health says the steps they’re taking seem to work just fine.
“We have checks in Grade 1, 6 and 8 where public health nurses go into schools and review all of the immunization records children in those three grades and if children are not up-to-date parents are sent reminders saying your child needs those immunizations,” said Shahab.
READ MORE: How to convince skeptical parents that vaccines are safe
The province would like to see higher immunization rates which tend to get better, the older the students are. Ninety-six per cent of Grade 12 students are vaccinated for measles versus 90 per cent of Grade 1 students.
“We actually find the number of parents who actually refuse immunization is actually less than two per cent,” added Shahab.
According to Shahab, the majority of parents just simply forget to have their children vaccinated.
“The challenge is that in the first five years of life, you need to get your shots at two, four and six months. Boosters at 18 and four years so if you have busy parents, you have several children in a house it’s a challenge to stay to on top of those appointments.”
Which is no longer acceptable for parents in Ontario and New Brunswick.
For example, children and adolescents attending primary or secondary school in Ontario must have proof of immunization against the following diseases or face possible suspension:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Polio
- Measles
- Mumps
- Rubella
- Meningococcal Disease – NEW requirement for 2014/15 school year
- Pertussis (whooping cough) – NEW requirement for 2014/15 school year
- Varicella (chickenpox) – NEW requirement for 2014/15 school year, for children born in 2010 or later
There are exceptions to the rule but health officials in those provinces stress that children who are exempt from immunization requirements are at an increased risk of disease and may be removed from school during an outbreak.
“We will continue to watch what other jurisdictions do and if there are any earnings or advantages of having those kind of policies in place,” added Shahab.
Comments