A Registered Nurse at CPS’ Youth Health Care preparing vaccines in the presence of a parent during an earlier outreach.
PHILIPSBURG--Parents and guardians will be able to update their children’s vaccination status at a vaccination outreach initiative being held at Vineyard Office Park this Saturday, April 7, from 9:00am to 12:30pm.
The outreach is for all children ages 0-17 years. Persons attending should walk with their child(ren)’s vaccination record(s) or book(s).
This will be the Health Ministry’s Collective Prevention Services’ (CPS’) second vaccination outreach for this year. CPS said the community can look out for additional vaccination outreaches at CPS until the summer.
The first vaccination outreach held on March 24, attracted 52 children who received vaccines that were due. A total of 44 of the children who attended were less than four years of age and eight were between ages four and 17.
The initiative aims to help bring immunisation-delayed infants and young children up to date with their vaccination schedule. The outreach is also an opportunity to inform parents about vaccines offered within the programme as well as their benefits and importance.
CPS said vaccines help one’s immune system fight more than 20 dangerous diseases: “From the time we’re born, vaccines offer protection to help individuals stay healthy throughout their entire lives.” Evidence continues to show that vaccination is one of the safest, most cost-effective ways to prevent diseases and death.
Within the region, many countries are on alert for measles, a serious and contagious disease caused by a virus and spread from person to person through the air. It can cause pneumonia, seizures, brain damage and even death. Vaccination is the best way to prevent measles, CPS said.
