Some routine childhood vaccines have declined in Alberta over the past 2 years due to COVID delays

Some routine vaccinations for school-age children are on the decline in Alberta. That’s largely thanks to postponements of the shots given in schools during the last two years of the pandemic.

“Routine school vaccinations were delayed across the province for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years due to the COVID-19 response, which included school closures and the provision of COVID-19 vaccine to the general public,” said Alberta Health Services spokesperson Kerry Williamson .

“This included immunizing grade 6 students for HPV and HBV vaccine, grade 9 students for Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (dTap) and MenC-ACYW (which protects against four types of Neisseria meningitis bacteria that cause meningococcal disease) and grade 1 students who were not up to date with their childhood vaccinations.”

Provincial data for the Calgary zone shows immunization rates for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccines dropped from 86 per cent of children with two doses at age seven in 2019 to just 78 per cent in 2021.

Dr. Craig Jenne, an infectious disease specialist, said that number is far below the coverage needed to prevent a measles outbreak — about 95 percent.

“Unfortunately, throughout the pandemic, we have seen childhood vaccine rates fall back below the thresholds often needed to prevent outbreaks of some communicable diseases,” Jenne said.

“There will be some urgency to get back to normal as quickly as we can.”

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Families are encouraged to catch up on routine vaccinations for children

AHS said it is working with schools across the province to get vaccinations back on track after the unprecedented disruption.

“Public health has been working hard to catch up with delayed students with zones that provide additional catch-up clinics during the summer months,” Williamson said. “Public health is also working with schools to schedule routine school vaccination rounds this school year and will continue to catch up with any overdue students.”

Schools across Calgary said they are liaising with AHS to ensure the vaccinations get into the hands of students as soon as possible.

“AHS has informed us that nurses will be contacting school leaders to collaborate on developing a school immunization delivery plan for the 2022-23 school year,” Manique Werapitiya-Galle, communications specialist at the Calgary Catholic School District, said in a statement to Global News.

“AHS has also informed us that there are students who have not had their immunization records reviewed in the past three years and this review will be completed during the 2022-23 school year.”

Jenne noted that the good news is that for most of these childhood vaccines, getting kids back on schedule is pretty easy.

“This is not a, ‘You have to get it this month or next month.’ There is some flexibility here,” he said.

And if you’re concerned about any delays for your child, Dr. Jenne that it is best to contact your family doctor to plan the next steps.

“The key is if your child is missing a vaccine to talk to not only your family caregiver but maybe your pediatrician and determine what schedule would be best to help get your child back on target,” he said.