The Hastings Prince Edward Acting Medical Officer of Health is “impressed” with the level of immunization of the local school children population.
Statistics released by the health unit to the Board of Health on Wednesday indicate 96% of students in Hastings and Prince Edward schools have been immunized against nine diseases, as mandated by the provincial government.
Acting Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ian Gemmill says immunization has made diseases “disappear before our eyes,” pointing to meningitis and others.
He says that through vaccines children stay safe.
#2 GEMMILL
Dr.Gemmill has worked in public health for 35 years and is the chair of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization.
Program Manager Bill Sherlock told the board that thousands of school children were immunized.
He reported 4,400 were overdue but as of May 1 that was down to 44.
Sherlock says the vaccinations should occur at seven years of age and at 17, then every ten years after that.
The nine diseases in the immunization are:
Tetanus
Diphtheria
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Varicella
Meningococcal
Pertussis