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Three New Vaccinations Will Protect Two Million Children From
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases
TORONTO, Jan. 2 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is ensuring that children
in Ontario are more protected than ever against preventable diseases, Health
and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman announced today.
Three new publicly funded vaccines have been added to the recommended
schedule of routine childhood immunizations -- vaccines for chicken pox,
meningococcal meningitis and pneumococcal disease.
"Our government wants children in Ontario to be the healthiest in all of
Canada," Smitherman said. "Not only will these three vaccines keep countless
children healthy, they save young lives."
In addition to the routine immunizations, these free immunizations also
became available for other age groups, effective January 1:
- Chicken pox vaccine for five-year-old children and high-risk people of
all ages who have not yet had the disease
- Pneumococcal vaccine for all children born on or after Jan. 1, 2004
- Meningococcal meningitis vaccine for children 12 years of age, youth
aged 15-19, and high-risk people of all ages.
"Our government's free childhood immunization program is another
important measure to provide Ontario children with the best start in life,"
said Dr. Bountrogianni, Minister of Children and Youth Services. "Healthy
children are the key to a healthy community and healthy province."
The government now has fully implemented the three new immunization
programs, which began last July.
"The new immunization programs represent significant progress for our
province's disease prevention initiatives," said Dr. Sheela Basrur, Ontario's
Chief Medical Officer of Health. "These vaccines now are available to those
who need them."
The government is investing $156 million over three years to add the new
vaccines for pneumococcal disease, chicken pox and meningococcal meningitis.
The plan will see 2 million Ontario children vaccinated without charge. The
three new immunization programs will save Ontario parents more than $600 per
child.
This news release, along with other media materials, such as matte
stories and audio clips, on other subjects, are available on our website at:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca under the News Media section.
For more information on achievements in health care, visit:
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca.
Version française disponible
Backgrounder
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THREE NEW VACCINES ADDED TO ROUTINE CHILDHOOD SCHEDULE
The McGuinty government is ensuring that children in Ontario are more
protected than ever against preventable diseases. Three new publicly funded
vaccines have been added to the recommended schedule of routine childhood
immunizations -- vaccines for chicken pox, meningococcal meningitis and
pneumococcal disease.
<<
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VACCINE WHO QUALIFIES WHEN AVAILABLE DISEASES PREVENTED
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Varicella - One-year-old children September 2004 Chicken Pox and
born on or after its complications
September 1, 2003 (i.e. bacterial
skin infections)
- Five-year-old January 2005
children who have not
yet had chicken pox
- High-risk people of January 2005
all ages
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Pneumococcal - High-risk 24 to 59 July 2004 Invasive
Conjugate months of age pneumococcal
diseases
- All children under 2 January 2005 (meningitis,
years old born on or pneumonia and
after January 1, 2004 infection of
bloodstream)
- High-risk children Available now
under 2 years of age
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Meningococcal - One-year-old children September 2004 Invasive
C-Conjugate born on or after Meningococcal
September 1, 2003 Disease (IMD),
including
- Children who are Available now Meningitis and
HIV-positive and who meningococcemia
were born on or after (meningococcal
January 1, 2002 infection of the
blood)
- Children 12 years of January 2005
age, youth aged 15 to
19 inclusive, and
high-risk people of
all ages
- People in close Available now
contact with a person
who has meningococcal
disease due to
serogroup c
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>>
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For further information: Members of the media: Eva Lannon, Minister's Office, (416) 327-4320; Dan Strasbourg, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, (416) 314-6197; Members of the general public: (416) 327-4327 or (800) 268-1154
Other news releases disseminated by this ministry
