Horizon Health Network’s Public Health to offer in-school immunizations
The 2017-2018 In-school Immunization Campaign will begin this fall. Students in grades seven and nine, in Fredericton, Miramichi and Saint John and surrounding areas will be offered vaccines to protect them from several diseases such as HPV, tetanus (lockjaw), diphtheria, whooping cough, meningitis and whooping cough. The best way to protect against vaccine-preventable diseases is through immunization.
The HPV vaccination is now available to include all Grade 7 students.
Vaccination is up to 90 per cent effective at preventing the HPV types responsible for most HPV-related cancers and genital warts. In 2016, the Canadian Cancer Society estimated that nearly 4,400 Canadians would be diagnosed with an HPV cancer and about 1,200 Canadians would die from an HPV cancer. Research has shown vaccination provides the best levels of protection (antibodies) in girls between the ages of 9 and 13, and it is believed that the data would be the same for all those who receive the vaccine. Further information can be found at www.hpvinfo.ca or by contacting your local Public Health office.
Information and consent forms for immunizations will be sent home with the students and must be signed and returned to the school.
Immunizations offered are:
Vaccine |
Protects Against |
For |
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine |
HPV, the leading cause of many cancers |
All grade seven students Two-dose series given six months apart Students with a weakened immune system should receive three doses |
Tetanus, Diptheria, Acellular Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine |
Tetanus (lockjaw), diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough) |
All grade seven students |
Meningitis vaccine |
Four types of Meningitis |
All grade nine students |
Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine |
Chickenpox |
Grade nine students born in 2003 who have not received 2 doses of chickenpox vaccine or have not had natural chickenpox disease after one year of age (confirmed by a blood test) |
For more information about school immunizations, please call:
Horizon Health Network:
Fredericton: 506 453-5200
Saint John: 506
658-2454
Miramichi: 506
778-6102
For more information contact:
Stephanie Neilson-Levesque
Media Relations
1-877-499-1899
Media@HorizonNB.ca
www.HorizonNB.ca