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B.C. to start public push to get more kids vaccinated against flu as cases climb

The British Columbia government will be using its provincial health registry system to contact parents of unvaccinated children in an attempt to increase flu vaccine rates among the province's youngest. Dr. Bonnie Henry and Dr. Penny Ballem take turns at the podium as they talk about B.C.'s COVID-19 immunization plan at the Legislature in Victoria on March 1, 2021.
The British Columbia government will be using its provincial health registry system to contact parents of unvaccinated children in an attempt to increase flu vaccine rates among the province's youngest. Dr. Bonnie Henry and Dr. Penny Ballem take turns at the podium as they talk about B.C.'s COVID-19 immunization plan at the Legislature in Victoria on March 1, 2021. Photo by CHAD HIPOLITO /THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER — The British Columbia government will be using its provincial health registry to contact parents in an attempt to increase flu vaccine rates for children.

While the province is on track for a record number of people getting their flu shot this year, Dr. Penny Ballem, with BC Vaccine Operations, said Monday that only 20 per cent of children under five have been vaccinated.

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Ballem said they’ll be sending texts and emails to families of about 150,000 children under five inviting them to make appointments to get vaccinated.

She said there’s also a significant social media campaign from the government and health authorities encouraging people to get vaccinated.

Provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said after two years of low rates of flu, mostly due to travel restrictions, the province is seeing a “dramatic increase” in illness and it arrived sooner than normal.

“We know much more than COVID, influenza can cause more severe illness in children, especially young children, and it can lead to secondary bacterial infections with things like streptococcus and pneumococcus that can cause very severe pneumonia,” she said.

“And so that’s the concern that we have now.”

Henry said there is still time for people to get a flu vaccine to protect themselves and their children, especially as the holiday season approaches.

“We’re starting to see the impact of a large number of children who haven’t been exposed to influenza for a few years and a small proportion of them are getting severely ill,” she said.

“So now’s the time to really make a difference and get that vaccine now.”

Health Minister Adrian Dix said visits to provincial emergency rooms had been averaging 6,700 per day, but that is now peaking up to 6,900 patients daily, with extra pressure on B.C. Children’s and Fraser Health hospitals.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 5, 2022.