Manitoba’s back-to-school vaccine strategy is education, province says
In the Southern Health Region, officials are encouraging parents to get their kids' vaccinations up to date, as there are larger concerns there than the common cold.
Manitoba’s education-focused approach to back-to-school preparations involves encouraging parents to ensure their children's vaccinations are up to date, as the province faces concerns that extend beyond the common cold. The Southern Health Region, in particular, has the lowest immunization rates in the province for measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and meningococcal disease.
Currently, only 53 per cent of seven-year-olds in the region are up to date on their measles vaccines, which is 13 percentage points lower than the area with the next-lowest coverage.
Measles cases in Manitoba saw a peak in February, with 177 confirmed cases this year. However, the number of cases dropped to just eight by June. Dr. Mahmoud Khodaveisi, with the Southern Health Region, urges parents to remain vigilant during the school year to prevent potential infections from spiking again. Early symptoms of measles include fever and blotchy red rashes, but complications can involve lung infections or brain inflammation.
The 2026 measles cases in Manitoba have led to 52 hospitalizations and six ICU admissions, with more than 82 per cent of cases in individuals who had not received the vaccine. While only two Canadian provinces, Ontario and New Brunswick, currently require vaccines for children attending school in person, Manitoba previously had a mandate which was later repealed.
Experts, such as McMaster University professor of medicine Dawn Bowdish, highlight that mandating school vaccines has been effective in preventing the spread of contagious infections in the past.
Despite the absence of a plan to reintroduce vaccine requirements for school entry, Manitoba's strategy emphasizes the importance of education in dispelling misinformation and building trust with families regarding vaccinations. Provincial health teams are working in communities to address concerns and encourage parents to ensure their children's immunizations are current.
While vaccines may cause side effects, such as fever-triggered seizures in rare cases, the potential consequences of contracting these diseases far outweigh the risks associated with immunization.
Written by urgent.news from Global News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
