April 24-30: National Immunization Awareness Week - NIAW

This year, Canada’s National Immunization Awareness Week (NIAW) coincides with both the Vaccination Week in the Americas and World Immunization World Immunization Week. Every year, Canada Immunize hosts a number of events to raise awareness of the importance of immunization, its impact on the community and success. Worldwide organizations participate in international strategies to increase awareness regarding the importance of vaccination.

Newcomers to Canada may lack immunization and immunization records and would thus be susceptible to many preventable diseases. Thus the recommendations are to consider any newcomers lacking adequate documentation of immunization to be unimmunized and start them on immunization schedule appropriate to their age and risk factors unless known to be immune by serologic testing.

Immigrants and refugees are among the populations that were disproportionately impacted by the epidemic. As COVID-19 vaccination distribution continues across Canada, it is crucial to ensure there is equitable access to the vaccine, that vulnerable populations are prioritized and that all barriers to vaccination are addressed.

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