Children behind in their shots, says Montreal vaccination campaign

Montreal children are behind on their vaccines, according to the city's public health department, and a newly-launched campaign is trying to change that.

The Sante Montreal website now includes a vaccination guide aimed at the parents of toddlers and young children.

It contains information on booking appointments and ensuring children are up-to-date based on age, as well as facts on whooping cough, measles and polio.

In a press release, the city noted that just 80 to 85 per cent of five-year-old children in Montreal are vaccinated against measles, while the target rate is 95 per cent.

LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Children are falling behind in vaccines for diseases that were eradicated years ago

"Even before the pandemic the vaccination coverage was below the target but it was near 90 per cent so what we're seeing now are levels that are below what they were before the pandemic…and it is a concern," said Dr. Benoit Corriveau a doctor at the Montreal Public Health Department.

That means the Montreal population is at risk in the event of an outbreak, he said, as he recalled recent outbreaks that served as a wake-up call for many.

In 2011, more than 700 people were affected by a measles outbreak in Quebec, at a time when vaccination rates were higher than they are now, and there are cases of whooping cough every year.

For parents who have naturally never experienced a mumps, polio or measles epidemic it may be difficult to understand how serious the dangerous the diseases can be, he acknowledged.

For example, "measles is highly contagious so when there are outbreaks a lot of people are affected especially in schools," he explained.

"It can be a rash but also fever and it can lead to severe complications, pneumonia, meningitis and can also lead to death in approximately one out of three thousand children," said Corriveau.

The new guide also dispels common myths about vaccinations, such as the misconceptions about certain ingredients or the belief that vaccines are linked to autism.

"Vaccines are free, safe and effective in preventing serious complications from these infections," the release continues.

The new city is also encouraging parents to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 and influenza, especially as pediatric hospital emergency rooms buckle beneath a surge in respiratory infections.

The main virus at the heart of the strain on hospitals has been Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a common respiratory virus that can cause serious illness in children, particularly infants. There is currently no vaccine for RSV.

In recent weeks however, about half of all children admitted to the Montreal Children's Hospital are admitted due to complications from influenza, according to infectious diseases specialist, Dr. Earl Rubin.