Saskatchewan Health Authority's mobile immunization unit visits North Battleford and Meadow Lake so children can receive their up-to-date vaccinations. (file photo/meadowlakeNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Healthy children

Immunization van ensures more children have access to vaccinations

Jul 31, 2019 | 6:13 PM

Those who haven’t been able to access a medical clinic and have their children’s vaccinations kept up-to-date can reach out to the mobile Immunization Van.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority’s immunization unit is in North Battleford and Meadow Lake this summer.

Trina Cappelle, the public health nursing clinical supervisor in Meadow Lake, said the van is shared between the two communities.

The immunization van is specially equipped to give public health nurses a mobile clinic space to provide immunizations to children from two months to six years of age

“It’s an initiative to make access to immunizations easier,” Cappelle said. “We know the vast majority of parents believe immunizations are important, but sometimes they need us to come to them.”

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Families may have difficulty accessing transportation or be dealing with other circumstances that make it challenging for them to have their child immunized.

“Parents are grateful when we can make life a little bit easier,” Cappelle said.

The vaccines protect children from contracting diseases such as whooping cough, measles, and meningitis.

Cappelle said immunization rates have remained fairly steady over the past several years.

“We’re always striving to improve as it is so important for our rates to remain high in order to maintain what’s known as herd immunity,” she said.

When the majority of the population is immunized it helps protect the community from outbreaks of preventable disease, including those who can’t be immunized due to age or medical reasons.

“We consider every individual immunized is a victory towards a healthier community, so the van is helping us to achieve that,” Cappelle said.

She said some people do question the vaccinations and require a lot of information to make an informed decision, but finds parents want to have their children immunized and recognize the importance.

“It’s just a matter of making that accessible to them and facilitating that,” she added/

The van is available from mid-June to mid-September, weather permitting. People can call or text 306-441-1364 to book an appointment to request the service.

Cappelle said on days the van is out in the community, it tends to be fully booked, saying the initiative has had a successful summer.

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow