The Chief Medical Officer of Health is reminding Newfoundlanders and Labradorians of the importance of staying up to date on vaccinations when travelling outside the province.
Vaccines are an effective way to prevent the spread of diseases such as measles, influenza, COVID-19 and mpox, which are all circulating internationally. Travel can increase your risk of exposure, especially in regions experiencing outbreaks.
For protection against measles, Public Health recommends the following for individuals travelling outside the province:
- Infants six to less than 12 months of age should receive one dose of MMR vaccine prior to travelling. These children will still need to be vaccinated with two doses of MMR at 12 and 18 months of age.
- Individuals born in or after 1970 should have had two doses of MMR vaccine prior to traveling.
- Individuals born before 1970 should have had one dose of MMR vaccine prior to traveling.
For more information on the measles vaccine please contact your primary care provider, local pharmacy or local public health office. Contact information, by Zone, for public health offices is available online: Eastern Zones, Central Zone, Western Zone , Labrador Grenfell Zone.
For protection against mpox, please see gov.nl.ca/hcs/mpox to determine if you are eligible for mpox vaccination.
Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are available for free to all those ages six months of age and older. Visit timefortheshot.ca for more information.
Residents are encouraged to review their immunization history and contact their health care provider or local public health office if they are unsure of their vaccination status or require additional doses before travelling.
Residents who develop symptoms after returning from travel are asked, unless it is a medical emergency, to contact their health care provider or 811 for guidance and let their healthcare provider know their travel history.
For more travel health information, including country‑specific risks and recommended precautions, visit https://travel.gc.ca.
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Time for the Shot
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