National Immunization Awareness Month: COVID-19 Vaccine is your best protection

Public Service Announcement

National Immunization Awareness Month: COVID-19 Vaccine is your best protection

August is National Immunization Awareness Month in Canada. Each year, this month brings attention to the fact that vaccines have saved millions of lives.

The Department of Health would like to remind Nunavummiut that the COVID-19 pandemic is not over. It is more important than ever to recognize that vaccines are safe, effective and for many illnesses including COVID-19, the best protection against severe disease. All eligible Nunavummiut are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Department of Health has also begun offering COVID-19 vaccines to children under five years old in Nunavut beginning with those who are four years old, and children most at risk of severe COVID-19 infections.

The following children are eligible for the vaccine:

• Four-year-olds.
• Those between six months old and four years old who:
  • Are considered to have an immunosuppression;
  • Have severe lung disease;
  • On long-term steroid treatment; and/or
  • Undergoing treatment for cancer.

Additionally, a second COVID-19 booster shot (fourth dose) is available to all Nunavummiut 18 or older. This additional booster shot is available to individuals 18-plus who had received their third dose of the vaccine 4.5 months or more ago.

Third doses of the vaccine are also available to children aged five to 11 who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, four to eight weeks after their second dose. Additionally, booster shots (third dose) continue to be available to all Nunavummiut 12 years and older.

COVID-19 vaccines for all Nunavummiut aged five and older continue to be available.

While the world has focused on COVID-19, don’t forget to make sure all your vaccinations are up to date. The Department of Health provides vaccines throughout Nunavut at community health centres and public health offices. Immunization programs for infants, preschoolers, school age children and adults protect Nunavummiut against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Contact your health centre or Iqaluit Public Health to ensure you are fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseases.

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Media Contact:

Danarae Sommerville
Communications Specialist
Department of Health
867-975-5712
@email