The Côte-Nord Integrated Health and Social Services Center wants to make up for the delay caused by the pandemic for the regular vaccination of young children. The Côte-Nord no longer reaches the vaccination target of 95%.
The North Shore had always had excellent vaccination percentages, but Covid-19 changed the situation. More than a dozen vaccines are usually given to children between 6 months and 4 years old. They help protect against diseases such as measles, mumps and meningitis.
The CISSS de la Côte-Nord wants to relaunch vaccination against these diseases which can be dangerous: “A single meningitis in a child on the North Shore is one meningitis too many given the sequelae that can have, neurological in particular,” explains Dr. Claudette Viens, medical adviser in infectious diseases at the CISSS de la Côte-Nord.
To catch up, the CISSS de la Côte-Nord is counting on promoting these vaccines this fall: “we are going to do reminders, offer families flexible time slots,” adds Dr. Claudette Viens.
It is also planned to offer vaccination at school level and at home for the youngest when families cannot travel.