Download Section 4 Immunization

Section 4
Immunization
I M M U N I Z A T I O N
Immunization
Immunization refers to the act of receiving a vaccine and developing immunity to ward off a disease.
Immunization protects the worker from severe illness or death from vaccine-preventable diseases
(VPDs). It is very important that ESWs maintain up to date vaccinations in order to ensure they have
maximum protection against VPDs. If you are unsure of your vaccination status, you may be able to
ask your Health Care Provider to order a blood test that will determine immunity to specific VPDs.
Due to the nature of their jobs, ESWs and students training for these jobs are at risk of exposure to
infectious diseases. ESW have the responsibility to be immunized against communicable disease to
protect their own health, that of their family and co-workers, and that of their clients, who otherwise
may be exposed to VPDs carried by the worker.
ESWs and students should be immunized as per the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for
Ontario – August 2011, which includes:
• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Polio
• Pertussis
• Chicken pox (varicella)
• Hepatitis B
• Annual immunization for influenza is also strongly recommended
Your service agency may require that you be immunized against specific diseases or require you to
provide proof of immunity (laboratory documentation of immunity or a medically documented history
of disease).
Immunization is an extremely safe and effective way to become immune to
an infectious disease without becoming sick from disease itself.
Documentation
It is the responsibility of the ESW to keep a personal record of the immunizations you have had in
your lifetime.
 Keep it in a safe place with other important documents
 Bring it with you each time you are immunized so it can be updated
If you do not already have a yellow immunization card or booklet to keep track of your
immunizations, ask your Health Care Provider or local Health Unit if they can provide you with one.
I M M U N I Z A T I O N
Vaccines and the Diseases They Prevent
Td and Tdap
Tetanus (lockjaw) is caused by bacteria that live throughout the environment, particularly in soil. It
causes extremely painful muscle contractions that can lead to permanent damage or death.
Infection occurs when a person receives an injury that causes a break in the skin when they are
outside, which allows the tetanus bacterial spore to enter the wound. Every adult needs to be
vaccinated against tetanus because natural infection causes severe illness, but does not result in
immunity.
Diphtheria is a serious contagious bacterial infection that causes a thick coating at the back of the
throat, and can lead to severe breathing problems, heart failure and nerve damage. Death can occur
in approximately five to ten percent of the cases.
Pertussis is also known as Whooping Cough and can cause severe coughing spells for weeks or
months. Complications from Pertussis are pneumonia, middle ear infection, convulsion, meningitis
and possible death.
MMR
Measles is a very contagious viral illness. It is transmitted through the airborne route and if you are
not vaccinated you have a 90% chance of contracting measles after only five minutes of exposure.
Measles causes a rash, high fever, cough runny nose and watery eyes. It can cause ear infections,
pneumonia, and encephalitis, hearing loss, and possible death.
Mumps is an acute viral infection that causes fever,
headache, painful swelling of one or more of the
salivary glands. Mumps can lead to encephalitis causing
permanent or temporary deafness, and swelling of the
testes in men or ovaries in women possibly leading to
sterility.
Rubella is also known as German measles and can
cause fever, rash, swelling of the neck glands and
swelling and pain in the joints. When women become
infected with the virus early in their pregnancy, there is a
risk to the unborn child of developing congenital rubella
syndrome.
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver it can lead to
serious problems such as cirrhosis, liver failure and liver
cancer. It is spread when bodily fluids such as blood,
semen and saliva enter the body through a break in
skin, mucous membranes or sexual contact.
I M M U N I Z A T I O N
Influenza
Influenza (the flu) is an acute respiratory infection that can be quite severe in the elderly and very
young. Symptoms are cough, high fever, chills, and headache and muscle pain. Complications of
influenza are pneumonia, middle ear infection, heart failure and possible death. The influenza virus is
highly contagious and spreads through respiratory secretions. The influenza vaccine changes yearly so
it is important to receive you immunization at the beginning of every influenza season.
Varicella
Varicella (Chickenpox) is a highly contagious viral infection. It causes fever, headache, chills, muscle or
joint pain and then approximately one to two days later, a red itchy rash appears. Immunization is
recommended if immunity is not received through natural infection or previous vaccination.
Polio
Poliomyelitis (polio) is a highly contagious viral disease that can cause irreversible paralysis,
encephalitis and death. People contract polio from drinking water or eating contaminated food that
contains the polio virus. It is important to be vaccinated against polio if you do not have a record of
previous vaccination.
* A Fact Sheet about immunizations is located in the Valuable Resource Section of this
manual *