We’re excited to share some great public health advancements happening in our province. The BC government is continuing its commitment to an upstream approach to disease and illness prevention by both adding, and expanding vaccine access. With recent decisions by neighbouring governments making the conversation surrounding vaccines even more ambiguous, and the rise in cases of all-but eradicated diseases like measles in Canada, we applaud the government of BC’s commitment to preventing disease and illness, ensuring the health and safety of our residents for years to come. Here’s the scoop on these new changes:
- The 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, PREVNAR 20, has been added to BC’s immunization program. This inclusion, which began in July 2025, will be added to the routine immunizations of both young children and older adults, as well as those considered high-risk. This vaccine will help protect people from pneumococcal disease, which can cause infections like pneumonia. According to the BC Lung Foundation, pneumonia is a leading cause of death and hospitalization among seniors and in people with chronic diseases, so this single-dose vaccine will not only prevent deaths, but will help ease the strain on our healthcare system by helping to prevent hospitalizations.
- Another public health win worth celebrating is the government of BC’s decision to broaden access to the free human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and simplify the immunization schedule, helping to protect even more people in our province from HPV-related cancers, as HPV is responsible for nearly 100% of cervical cancers, and can cause vaginal, vulvar, penile, throat, anal cancer, and anogenital warts.
“Vaccines are one of the most effective and cost-saving interventions, and have saved millions of lives world-wide. Ensuring BC has improved, expanded access to HPV and pneumococcal vaccines will help protect more British Columbians against severe illnesses.” — Dr Jia Hu, Public Health Physician and Medical Lead of the Prevention and Health Promotion team at BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC).
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Not sure of you and your family’s vaccine status? Your can access, download, and check availability for vaccines through the BC Health Gateway.
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