BUSTING "ANTI-VAX" MYTHS WHAT ADULTS NEED TO KNOW

While the “anti-vaccination” debate typically refers to children, adults aren’t off the hook when it comes to vaccines. In fact, media coverage around “anti-vaxxers” could be putting adults at risk. Studies show increasing anti-vaccination content is contributing to “vaccine hesitancy” – a reluctance to receive recommended vaccines because of concerns and doubts about them.

Mistrust is one of the core causes of ‘’vaccine hesitancy”, and a new Shoppers Drug Mart/ Loblaw survey found one in 10 Canadian adults say their trust in vaccination has decreased with everything they’ve heard in the past year about vaccines from news stories, media, and celebrities. One fifth of Canadians say they are vaccine hesitant and only three per cent of Canadians report having the correct number of vaccines for their age/risk group.,

“Vaccinations are one of the best ways to protect yourself and your community against diseases, which is why it’s more important than ever to arm yourself with accurate information about adult vaccines,” says Victor Wong, Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacist. “Having a chat with your pharmacist is a great place to start. They provide informed advice and can save you time by administering a number of vaccines at your local pharmacy.”

Vaccination is important at every stage of life. Some common vaccinations adults should con

sider getting at the pharmacy are for: pneumococcal disease, shingles and HPV. Pharmacists in Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can prescribe and administer adult vaccinations, and in most provinces, pharmacists can administer vaccines on the spot when you drop off a prescription or do your shopping.