Deadly disease turns up again

[ferri]

“The risk to the general population is low,” said Dr. Karin Goodison, medical health officer, during a conference call Thursday. “However, with the increase in the number of cases and the fact that this disease can be prevented through immunization, we felt it important to raise the public’s awareness about this disease, and roll out a campaign to immunize those at the highest risk.

https://www.vernonmorningstar.com/news/ ... -okanagan/

I have no idea why this was posted in the social forum instead of health.

Because I meant to move it yesterday and got distracted.

[Silverstarqueen]

Great, now that this is a health issue and not a social concern, young people can go back to their usual social habits, hugging and kissing, whatever that leads to, and sharing tokes , smokes, and drinks at random. Let's hope the health authorities can carry the load. There's only been one death so far, out of the eleven cases in the okanagan, so pretty low incidence of serious consequences. Of course for that one person who died and their family and friends it was 100%. My condolences to the family. I wonder what their position is on vaccinating all young people.

[Keith Duhaime]

Because there is a very unhealthy amount of people out there who are afraid that their kids will get autism if they vaccinate. That, or they just don't "believe" it works. Ignorance runs abundant.

Canada needs to start looking at and adopting the kinds of policies that Australia has been putting in place to deal with the anti-vax idiots. These people are not going to change their irrational behaviour and beliefs. We need policies that simply contain the externalities of their foolishness. For example. if you can't provide proof of vaccination, then no passport. The last thing we should be doing is giving these idiots the opportunity to fly off to Disneyland and then bring measles, mumps, whatever home like they did a few years ago, causing outbreaks that cost taxpayers a small fortune to clean up.

[Silverstarqueen]

Because there is a very unhealthy amount of people out there who are afraid that their kids will get autism if they vaccinate. That, or they just don't "believe" it works. Ignorance runs abundant.

Canada needs to start looking at and adopting the kinds of policies that Australia has been putting in place to deal with the anti-vax idiots. These people are not going to change their irrational behaviour and beliefs. We need policies that simply contain the externalities of their foolishness. For example. if you can't provide proof of vaccination, then no passport. The last thing we should be doing is giving these idiots the opportunity to fly off to Disneyland and then bring measles, mumps, whatever home like they did a few years ago, causing outbreaks that cost taxpayers a small fortune to clean up.

Fear of autism is not the reason a lot of our young people have not been vaccinated against meningitis. The health authorities only relatively recently brought in meningitis vaccine (for grade nines in 2016), and it hasn't been a priority of this gov't. So all those (young and old) who weren't in the system when meningitis vaccines were handed out, they are not protected. That is why we have 18 year olds, 20 year olds or older who are at risk. Meningitis has a 10% mortality rate, if you get it. That is why "only" one person has died in the okanagan. That is why there is "only" one person in ICU from the okanagan.

[Fancy]

The health authorities only relatively recently brought in meningitis vaccine (for grade nines in 2016),

The meningococcal quadrivalent vaccine is the one that was introduced in 2016 for grade 9.

https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/medications/tv8609

More here:
http://www.meningitis.ca/en/MeningococcalVaccine

Hib vaccines have been available for decades and part of the immunization program.

http://www.bccdc.ca/resource-gallery/Do ... zation.pdf

[Fancy]

In response to the outbreak of meningococcal meningitis in the Okanagan, Interior Health is opening immunization clinics across the region on Saturday for those aged 15 to 19.

The vaccines are being offered to those in the the most at-risk age group, who have yet to receive the Meningococcal Quadrivalent vaccine and have or will miss the vaccines offered at their school.

The vaccine was first offered to Grade 9 students in 2016.

In the North Okanagan, where the most recent case of the disease has put a 17-year-old girl in a medically-induced coma, the vaccine will be offered at the Vernon Health Unit at 1440-14 Avenue on Saturday, from noon to 5 p.m.

Those in Kelowna can get the vaccine at the Community Health and Services Centre at 505 Doyle Avenue from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

In the south, the Penticton Health Centre, at 740 Carmi Avenue, will be offering the vaccine from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Interior Health has seen 11 cases of the disease this year compared to an average of five most years. One teenager with the disease died this year, but IH has not said if the death was a direct result of the disease.

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#214138

[the truth]

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#215103 ,once again interior health proves how useless and slow moving they are ,this story says it all

[Fancy]

Also proves how important is is to be immunized against such diseases.

[the truth]

this is about, how incompetent interior health is

[Fancy]

this is about, how incompetent interior health is

No, it is about a deadly disease that appears some have missed vaccinations for. And that is a crying shame.

[the truth]

yes and it sure looks like they could of given people notice weeks ago, but o no lets wait till more people catch it ,so we can scare more people into getting the shot, i must say they did a great job at it

[Fancy]

It is unfortunate that so many advocate against vaccinations. This is a prime example of what the consequences can be by refusing or neglecting to get them.

[Silverstarqueen]

So grateful that this young lady survived,

https://www.castanet.net/edition/news-s ... htm#216837