Vaccines can complement your traditional wellness plan
A message from Dr. Celeste Loewe, Medical Officer, Health & Wellness, FNHA Office of the Chief Medical Officer; and Monica McAlduff, Chief Nursing Officer, FNHA Office of the Chief Nursing Officer
There are many things we can do to stay well during the winter season even though this time of year brings increased risk of respiratory illnesses (e.g., cold, flu, COVID-19) because people are indoors together more often.
The best offence against respiratory illness is a good defence. This means taking measures long before we feel sick. Simple but powerful ways to protect ourselves and others include:
- Washing our hands regularly.
- Covering our mouth when sneezing or coughing.
- Wearing a mask, especially in crowded indoor spaces such as public transit.
- Getting all recommended seasonal vaccines.
Speak to your primary care provider about which vaccines you and your children need or may benefit from. For example, if you are a parent or caregiver of a baby born in a remote / isolated community, where there is less access to hospitals, your baby may be eligible for a new RSV antibody designed to protect babies in their first RSV season (fall and winter). There is also a vaccine for pregnant people at 32- to 36-week gestation to prevent severe RSV disease for infants. (See the links below for more information.)
While these are all excellent ways to physically protect ourselves and others from respiratory illnesses, it is also important to take care of our mental, emotional, and spiritual health – in other words, our wholistic wellness.
To keep your wholistic wellness high this winter, remember to spend time outside on the land and water, participate in ceremony, and if possible, gather with friends, family or community. Whether you're sharing a traditional meal, drumming with others, or dancing at a holiday event, all of these activities nourish wholistic wellness.
If you do contract a respiratory illness this winter, the best medicine is to stay home. You don't want to spread your sickness to others, especially the elderly or people who have health conditions. Even if you're feeling sick, you can still nourish your wholistic wellness by engaging in activities you enjoy that don't involve coming into contact with other people, e.g., drumming, weaving, beading, reading, painting, listening to or making music. If you have to leave home while sick, it's always responsible and community-minded to wear a mask to protect others.
On behalf of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer and the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer, we wish all First Nations people in BC a happy, healthy holiday season! Take care of yourself – you're worth it!
Resources:
https://www.immunize.ca/sites/default/files/rsv_vaccines_in_pregnancy_web_e.pdf
https://www.cw.bc.ca/library/pdf/pamphlets/RSV-and-your-child.pdf
