National

Interior health says parents should ensure kids caught up vaccination

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Feb, 2024 11:04 AM

Interior Health says parents should ensure their kids are caught up with their childhood immunizations, as data shows declining vaccination rates.

Health officials say most parents know that childhood vaccines are safe, but online misinformation and other factors, such as parents simply forgetting, could be factors in the decrease in immunization rates.

Interior Health's chief medical health officer, Dr. Martin Lavoie, says the health authority is working to help family keep their kids' vaccines up-to-date, warning of serious - even fatal - consequences for under- or un-immunized children and infants.

Interior Health says just over 56 per cent of seven-year-olds were immunized as of the end of 2023, below the target of 70 per cent, and the low rates have prompted the health authority to open extra clinics offering immunization services this year.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

National response needed for encampment crisis, evictions must end: federal advocate

Unhoused people have a fundamental right to live in encampments, and that right is violated when authorities tear them down, Canada's housing advocate says. In a piercing report released Tuesday, Marie-Josée Houle says the expansion of homeless encampments across the country is a national human rights crisis that requires immediate action and co-ordination involving all levels of government.

National response needed for encampment crisis, evictions must end: federal advocate

As pharmacare deadline looms, Singh mulls a future without NDP's deal with Liberals

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is mulling what it would mean for his party if the supply-and-confidence deal that ties his party to the Liberals should end prematurely. The NDP signed a political pact with the Liberals in 2022 to support the government on key votes in exchange for progress on shared priorities like pharmacare.

As pharmacare deadline looms, Singh mulls a future without NDP's deal with Liberals

Minister was warned lifting international student work limit could undermine program

Allowing international students to work more than 20 hours a week could distract from their studies and undermine the objective of temporary foreign worker programs, public servants warned the federal government in 2022. The caution came in documents prepared for former immigration minister Sean Fraser as Ottawa looked at waiving the restriction on the number of hours international students could work off-campus — a policy the Liberals eventually implemented.

Minister was warned lifting international student work limit could undermine program

Prince Harry, wife Meghan visit B.C. this week in one-year lead-up to Invictus Games

Prince Harry and Meghan are in B.C. this week for the participating nations camp, where Invictus Games athletes and coaches from 19 countries will convene for lessons in the sports, including the new winter sports added to the 2025 Games of alpine skiing, snowboarding, skeleton, biathlon and wheelchair curling.

Prince Harry, wife Meghan visit B.C. this week in one-year lead-up to Invictus Games

Economic anxiety high, faith in political leaders low in Canada, survey suggests

Canadians are stressed out about the economy and have little faith in politicians or governments to fix big problems, a new survey suggests. The annual CanTrust Index published by Proof Strategies queries Canadians about their level in trust in everything from political leaders and businesses to corporations, the media, bankers and scientists.

Economic anxiety high, faith in political leaders low in Canada, survey suggests

One person taken to hospital after cougar attack in Banff National Park

A cougar attack in a popular wilderness area of Banff National Park has left one person with minor injuries. EMS crews responded to the Rockbound Lake trailhead around 11 a.m. on Monday for reports that a person had been attacked by a cougar, said Alberta Health Services.