Your “civic duty”: Medical Officer urges immunizations to protect yourself and the community

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By Lindsey Stuckless

The Haldimand Press

HALDIMAND—Haldimand Norfolk’s Medical Officer Dr. Shanker Nesathurai said there are at least two important reasons to keep up to date on immunizations.

“The first reason (for people) to get immunized is to protect themselves and their children as immunized individuals,” said Nesathurai.

Nesathurai said the second reason is “herd immunity”, where the vast majority of the population is immunized to protect those who are unable to receive the vaccinations. Certain people are unable to get immunized due to health issues, such as HIV and leukemia, and newborns are not immediately immunized, leaving them vulnerable. Ontario regulates when immunizations are given based on a variety of factors, including the cost benefit of when to combine appointments for infants and information provided by clinical studies about when the safest and most effective time is to immunize.

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“Not only do immunizations help you as an individual, but as a member of the community it can be seen as a civic duty,” said Nesathurai.