Message from Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health

National Immunization Awareness Week

April 25 - May 2, 2009

National Immunization Awareness Week highlights the importance of immunization as the safest and most effective way to protect yourself and your family from preventable diseases.

During the week, the Public Health Agency of Canada is partnering with the Canadian Coalition for Immunization Awareness and Promotion to draw attention to the role immunization plays in protecting the health of the public.

The theme for this year's National Immunization Awareness Week is A Family Affair. It reminds us to ensure up-to-date immunizations for everyone in the family to protect not only their health, but also the health of people in your community. The more people who are immunized against vaccine-preventable diseases, the lower the risk of exposure to potentially life-threatening illnesses.

Immunization is the most effective way to prevent and control vaccine-preventable diseases. It has led to the eradication of smallpox, the near eradication of polio, and to the control of other diseases, including measles and whooping cough which, at one time, could maim or kill.

Vaccines have saved more lives worldwide than any other health intervention in the past 100 years. Nevertheless, vaccine-preventable diseases can still infect those who are not fully immunized. If such a disease enters a community that is not fully immunized, it can spread very quickly and lead to serious health problems for many people. That's why it's crucial that everyone be fully immunized.

It is important to keep immunizations up-to-date throughout our lives. Routine childhood immunizations begin at two months of age, but recommended immunizations continue into adolescence and adulthood to provide ongoing protection. Immunizations, such as tetanus, need to be updated every 10 years. It's also important for people who are at increased risk for certain illnesses--because of travel or occupational hazards--to keep their immunizations up-to-date.

Immunization is the safest and most effective way to protect yourself and your family from preventable diseases. I encourage you to take some time this week to review your family's immunization status and take the necessary steps to ensure you are protected.

Leona Aglukkaq
Minister of Health
Government of Canada