Government of Canada Supports the Regina Open Door Society in communicating the importance of staying up to date with COVID-19 Vaccination

REGINA, SK, Jan. 23, 2023 /CNW/ - As COVID-19 continues to circulate in Canada, it is important for everyone to stay up-to-date with their vaccination to strengthen their immune response and reduce their risk of severe illness.

Today, the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor, and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface -Saint Vital, on behalf of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, announced $149,940 in funding to the Regina Open Door Society (RODS) to support their project COVID-19 Vaccine, Immunization Awareness and Uptake for Newcomers.

Through a collaborative approach, this initiative works to increase COVID-19 vaccination confidence amongst refugee and newcomer populations. This project is rooted in a range of best practices, including providing credible multi-lingual vaccine information at the local level, increasing outreach to community members, and removing barriers to accessing vaccination. As a non-profit organization that provides settlement and integration services to refugees and immigrants in Regina, RODS is well positioned to address gaps in vaccine knowledge; encourage vaccine uptake; and dispel myths and misconceptions about vaccination amongst newcomers.

The funding is made available through the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) to support continued COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Investments through the IPF help to close the gap among populations with lower vaccine uptake and confidence by enabling informed vaccination decisions. Initiatives funded through the IPF are evidence-based and equity-oriented and deployed in communities across Canada.

Staying up-to-date with vaccinations by getting all your recommended doses provides improved protection against COVID-19 while helping reduce pressures on our hospitals and healthcare system.

The IPF is a key component of the Government of Canada's multi-faceted approach to advance population health protection against vaccine-preventable diseases, support vaccination equity and improve vaccine uptake and access through public outreach and community mobilization.

Quotes

"The Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) supports initiatives that help individuals make informed decisions about vaccination and their health.  The Regina Open Door Society provides valuable vaccine information, supporting vaccine confidence amongst newcomers through a range of strategies deployed across Regina."

The Honourable Dan Vandal
Minister of Northern Affairs, PrairiesCan and CanNor and Member of Parliament for Saint Boniface – Saint-Vital

"Vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to protect ourselves against COVID-19 and its impacts. As COVID-19 continues to circulate across the country, the Regina Open Door Society plays a crucial role in supporting Canada's COVID-19 vaccination efforts. Through their initiative, refugees and newcomers living in Regina will get the support they need to make informed vaccination decisions.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health 

"Projects like Regina Open Door Society's COVID-19 Vaccine, Immunization Awareness and Uptake for Newcomers are helping support important community-based COVID-19 education, promotion and outreach. By working together to increase vaccine confidence and uptake, we are helping to protect the health of individuals in Canada as well as our healthcare system as a whole."

Dr. Theresa Tam, Chief Public Health Officer
Public Health Agency of Canada

Quick Facts

• Launched in 2016, the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) is a key element of the Public Health Agency of Canada's vaccination initiatives. The IPF is an important lever to identify and help address gaps in vaccine acceptance and uptake and to empower people in Canada to make informed vaccine decisions.
  
  
• In 2020 and 2021, as part of Canada's COVID-19 vaccination efforts, the Government of Canada invested $45.5 million for projects to support COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and uptake.
  
  
• In 2022, an additional $3,894,545 in funding under the Immunization Partnership Fund (IPF) was announced to provide continued support to 9 existing IPF projects.
  
  
• Vaccination is, and will continue to be, a critical public health measure. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends that everyone stay up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations by getting all recommended doses. If it's been longer than 6 months since your last dose or since being infected with COVID-19, it's time to get a booster. This is especially important if you are at high risk for severe illness from COVID-19.

Associated Links

Vaccination and Immunization
Immunization Partnership Fund 
Canada.ca/Coronavirus 

SOURCE Public Health Agency of Canada

Guillaume Bertrand, Senior Communications Advisor and Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, 613-957-0200; Media Relations, Public Health Agency of Canada, 613-957-2983, [email protected]; Public Inquiries: 613-957-2991, 1-866-225-0709