Current Articles
Do your part to avoid the flu
As the pandemic eases and Canadians return to a “new normal”, another flu season is upon us. The public health measures of the last few years went a long way to reducing rates of influenza, here and around the world. However, less exposure to flu germs over the past few flu seasons also lowered our natural immunity to those viruses.1
This fall, rates of influenza have started to return to pre-pandemic levels as restrictions lift.4 And like last fall, COVID-19 infection rates are increasing as more people gather indoors – raising concerns that another tripledemic of influenza, COVID-19, as well as RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) will put... Read more
RSV: New protection against an old illness
As we move toward fall and the season of coughs and sniffles, keeping our families healthy is more important than ever. Along with seasonal colds and flu, comes respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, a respiratory tract infection that typically affects young children and older adults.1
The highly contagious RSV virus – first described in the mid-1950s2 – is the leading cause of lower respiratory tract illness in young children in Canada and countries around the world; in fact, most children will develop RSV by the age of 2, according to Health Canada... Read more
A Midsummer Night’s Warning: Everything You Need to Know About Rabies Prevention
Long strolls in the evenings chasing the sunset. Fresh, balmy nights spent on the backyard porch. Turning off the sprinklers late before bed. And… a chance encounter with a startled raccoon?! Beware of nocturnal animals – despite their adorable exteriors, they are not always harmless.
As much as we tend to romanticize the summer season, there are little creatures that go bump in the night that you may want to keep an eye out for. After all, incidences of rabies tend to skyrocket during the hotter months. Read on for tips on how to stay safe all summer long, and what options you have at your disposal if you think you may have been infected... Read more
Past Articles
Read more Vaccines411 Articles
A special interest section by MediaPlanet
Recent Vaccines411® Article
Pregnancy and COVID-19 — Understanding the Vaccine’s Impact
April 2022
Looking forward to starting a family or having another child? The COVID-19 pandemic adds some concerns around getting pregnant and keeping mom and baby safe. Some prospective parents may worry that vaccination to help protect against COVID-19 will affect their fertility or the course of a pregnancy.
Click here to read the full article.
Past Vaccines411® Articles
Shingles: It’s Not Just a Rash
September 2021
If you’re 50 years of age or more, odds are that you’ve heard of shingles or know someone who has experienced this notoriously painful condition. About 90 percent of people over 50 are at risk due to having chickenpox as children. Shingles, known medically as herpes zoster, occurs when the varicella zoster virus that causes childhood chickenpox is reactivated.
Click here to read the full article.
Preventing Influenza in the Time of COVID-19
September 2021
After a fairly mild flu season last year, rates of influenza are predicted to increase significantly this year since fewer people will have been exposed to it and developed natural immunity. That makes getting your flu vaccination especially important this year, to protect older adults who are more susceptible to both the flu and COVID-19.
Click here to read the full article.