The following is a sponsored article from the Manitoba Lung Association
As Manitobans return to school and work following summer holidays, Britt Kural hopes immunization is part of their fall and winter wellness plans.
“It’s a simple thing to get done that impacts an entire population,” she says. “By getting a vaccine each fall, you protect yourself, your children, your frail relatives and even strangers. You can help people avoid getting seriously ill from the flu or from COVID.”
Each year, the influenza vaccine provided free of charge to Manitobans is tweaked for effectiveness against the newest strains in circulation. So, too, is the COVID vaccine.
“We’re still definitely recommending getting a vaccine against COVID. This is our new normal,” explains Kural, Pharmacy Practice Advisor for Pharmacists Manitoba. “The virus will continue to circulate year-round, and a shot or booster will help protect you and your lungs.”
Practically speaking, vaccinations help people avoid prolonged periods away from school or work, as well as extended hospital stays, she says.
It’s something Bretton, a Manitoba parent, knows all too well.
Not long after giving birth to triplets, she agonized as her children struggled to fight respiratory infections. She remembers that time as among the "scariest" in her family’s life.
“When RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) season arrived, it hit hard,” she recalls. “From 13 to 16 months of age, my girls needed six visits to the emergency department for respiratory infections.”
Now, she describes her home as joyful and bustling. She has two boys and two girls, and they brim with personality, charm and resilience.
“Our family started with our son Remi,” she explains. “We’d planned to have our babies close together, but after three pregnancy losses we decided to try one last time. If it didn’t work, we knew we’d be grateful for the one beautiful son we had.”
That final attempt was successful – and resulted in the rare, high-risk journey of carrying triplets. After 33 weeks, Bretton gave birth via c-section to Palmer, a boy, and girls Charlie and Oakland. From the start, they endured intestinal surgeries, underdeveloped lungs and many weeks in neonatal intensive care units.
At one point, Bretton says, each baby was at a different place: one at home, two at separate NICUs and a toddler needing his own care. Remi was eventually pulled from daycare in a desperate bid to shield his siblings from illness.
“The hospital visits just kept coming,” she says. “For us, a ‘good’ ER trip meant no ICU admission.”
Bretton decided to share her story not to alarm, but to inform parents and expectant mothers about the risks and realities faced by medically vulnerable children.
“There’s an RSV vaccine now that some pregnant people may be eligible for. It helps pass antibodies to the baby,” she explains. “That option wasn’t available to me when I was pregnant. I wish it had been.”
She adds: “We’ve done all we can to keep protecting them, but it really does take a village.”
As Kural, the Pharmacy Practice Advisor, points out, immunizations have made a bigger impact on population health over the last 50 years than any other intervention. They’re also easy to get and covered by Manitoba Health.
“Most pharmacists in Manitoba can administer them,” she says. “There’s more than 1,200 community pharmacists working in 90 communities in Manitoba. They’re some of the most accessible providers as they’re often open evenings and weekends. And they’re happy to discuss your personal situation and answer any questions you might have before you get immunized.”
Kural also explains that immunizations are overwhelmingly safe, with the possible mild side effects including a bit of a sore arm or a fever for a day or two.
“There are vaccines available for children as young as two years old, and other vaccines for those over 65 that offer extra lung protection, such as a publicly-funded pneumonia vaccine,” she says. “Together, we can protect our communities and each other.”
For more information about respiratory illnesses, vaccines, lung health and air quality, visit the Manitoba Lung Association website.