All Canadians need to be immunized against H1N1: CPHA

The Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) announced today that it is encouraging Canadians to get the H1N1 vaccination. To help people make an informed choice, it is launching a new online portal of information. As an independent and trusted voice in public health, CPHA is ideally positioned to gather the best available information from governments, as well as national and international experts and make it available in a one-stop, easy-to-navigate and clearly written web portal.

"There's a lot of confusion about the H1N1 vaccine and people aren't sure if they should get it or not," explained Dr. Cory Neudorf, Chair, CPHA Board of Directors and Chief Medical Health Officer for Saskatoon Health Region. "The scientific evidence is clear: the important health benefits the vaccine offers far outweigh any potential risks, which is why CPHA urges all Canadians to be immunized against H1N1."

The H1N1 Clearinghouse will help Canadians learn about, understand and make informed choices about the H1N1 vaccine, as well as learn about the virus, the status of the pandemic in Canada, and steps they can take to reduce the spread of the virus.

"There are so many different sources of information currently scattered throughout the web, but the H1N1 Clearinghouse gathers reliable, evidence-based information from government and non-governmental sources in Canada and around the world," explained Dr. Cory Neudorf, Chair, CPHA Board of Directors and Chief Medical Health Officer for Saskatoon Health Region. "The Clearinghouse will help make complex decisions easier for Canadians by adding in the latest news on H1N1, a simple search engine and answers to Frequently Asked Questions written in plain language."

Source: CANADIAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION