The increase in whooping cough cases in Quebec is worrying, but this new increase could be linked to an underestimation of childhood diseases and the importance of vaccination, as former Health Minister Gaetan Barrett confirms.
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“We all grew up calling these diseases – measles and whooping cough – and we treat them lightly because today we no longer see very sick children and we see even less deaths among children. This still happens,” Mr. Barrett noted in an interview with LCN on Thursday. , but it is very rare.
He explains that vaccination has significantly reduced transmission of infection, de facto, Concerns about these childhood diseases, which have created a form of disdain among the population.
“From the moment the population stops being vaccinated or is less vaccinated, or if the population coming from abroad is not vaccinated, we are seeing a surge,” the analyst points out.
Mr Barrett is saddened to see the views emerging among residents regarding the importance of having an up-to-date vaccination record.
“In the zeitgeist, there are a lot of people who are against vaccines – which is unfortunate – and this is causing a resurgence of diseases that can be very serious, when the best barrier against that is vaccination,” he says.
The specialist points out that the consequences of these childhood diseases can be very “serious” and that is why many measures are provided to the population such as vaccinating children and even pregnant women.
He emphasizes: “These are all known and applied procedures, but they are applied with the approval of the people.” If people are in a version that says, “No, I'm against vaccines,” that increases the risk.
Watch the full interview with Gaétan Barrette in the video above.
