Canadian advocates call on the British Columbia government to provide Shingles and free respiratory virus vaccinations for seniors.
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), one of the country's largest advocacy groups for older community members, said it hopes the British Columbia government will “respect seniors” by funding an expert-recommended vaccination program.
It's Seniors Week in British Columbia, which begins on Sunday, and the group says now is the perfect time to help the more than one million seniors in B.C.
According to CARP, seven municipalities in the province have the oldest average populations in the country.
Currently, seniors in British Columbia must pay out of pocket for the shingles and respiratory syncytial virus vaccines.
CARP says about 70 per cent of B.C. seniors have not been vaccinated against shingles.
In a recent Statistics Canada report, seniors cited cost as the main factor for not getting the shingles vaccine.
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This painful infection is caused by a reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox.
“As we age, our immune systems weaken. Shingles typically presents as a rash with painful blisters that can be painful, burning, stinging, or shock-like, over the chest, abdomen, or face,” a CARP spokesperson said. “Almost all BC adults have had chickenpox and are therefore at risk for shingles.”
Ramona Kaptyn, a senior in BC and a member of the BC chapter of CARP, has twice come down with shingles. She told Global News about her experience.
“The first time I got it, I had huge bumps and blisters all over the back of my head,” she said. “And it was so painful. You didn't know what to do. It's the most horrible thing you can imagine, and it can be fixed with a simple vaccine.”
British Columbia Health Minister Adrian Dix spoke out on the issue Friday.
“As for shingles, we're definitely looking at it,” Dix said. “Most provinces have very incomplete plans, and we're looking at those. We're taking a hard look at it and hopefully bringing about change.”
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