CANADA, April 25 - Released on April 25, 2022

Protect Against Preventable Illnesses like Measles, Polio and Whooping Cough

April 23-30, 2022 is National Immunization Awareness Week, highlighting the importance of immunizations to protect children against preventable diseases.

"Routine childhood immunizations are free to all Saskatchewan families through public health offices throughout the province," Health Minister Paul Merriman said.  "Our province's team of public health care professionals continue their important work to keep childhood vaccination rates on track and keep our kids' safe."

"Routine childhood immunization is the most effective way to protect our children against vaccine preventable diseases like chicken pox, measles, mumps, whooping cough or polio," Saskatchewan Health Authority's Medical Director for Immunization Dr. Tania Diener said.  "If children are not vaccinated, diseases thought gone in Saskatchewan could reappear."

Information on Saskatchewan immunization programs, the Routine Childhood Immunization Schedule, as well as vaccine fact sheets are all available online at saskatchewan.ca/immunize.

Fully immunized children are less likely to spread vaccine preventable diseases to those around them, including those too young to be immunized or to those who have medical conditions that make them more susceptible to serious disease.

For more information on immunizations, residents can contact their local public health office, call HealthLine 811, or visit the Government of Saskatchewan website at saskatchewan.ca/immunize.

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For more information, contact:

Health Regina Phone: 306-787-4083 Email: media@health.gov.sk.ca