Saskatchewan scored low in CanAge’s latest vaccine report. Here’s why
Global News
A national seniors advocacy group is giving Saskatchewan a low grade when it comes to safeguarding older residents with vaccines.
A national seniors advocacy group is giving the province a D- when it comes to safeguarding older residents with vaccines.
Canada’s National Seniors Advocacy Organization, also known as CanAge, advocates for those over the age of 65 in Canada.
The organization’s CEO, Laura Tamblyn Watts, says the advocacy group looks at three key areas before awarding marks.
“First is what is publicly funded for the vaccines, and those are the NACI-recommended vaccines,” Tamblyn Watts said.
“The second thing we do is look at how accessible those vaccines are. And the third thing we do is we judge based on how the government is communicating about adult vaccinations.”
More than 200,000 seniors live in Saskatchewan and getting vaccinated will give them a better chance at a healthy life, advocates say.
Dr. Nazeem Muhajarine, professor and chair of community health and epidemiology at the University of Saskatchewan’s college of medicine, says seniors are particularly vulnerable, and vaccines are like an insurance policy to protect them from getting sick.
“I can’t emphasize more how important vaccines are, particularly for this demographic. You know, the seniors we are talking about are 65-plus individuals,” Muhajarine said.