VACCINE RESOURCE COMMITTEE
of the Edmonton Zone Medical Staff Association
April 9, 2025
The Vaccine Resource Committee convened from May 2024 to March 2025. The eight members consisted of infectious diseases, family medicine, public health, pediatrics, emergency medicine and immunology physicians. We thank them for their time and expertise to make these resources available for physicians and their patients.
VACCINES AND YOU poster
Below is a poster for physicians to place in their offices. This is to inform Alberta adults of what vaccines they should have through stages and scenarios in life.
Click on this link to access and print the poster.
VACCINE QUESTIONS FROM PATIENTS AND RESPONSES
The following resource is a set of questions and answers intended to support physicians with answering their patient questions about vaccines.
The EZMSA gathered questions from our members. We asked physicians to send us the questions they receive from patients about vaccines. Our panel of eight physicians reviewed the questions and have put together a collection of resources. All answers to the questions are compiled from original content and are not our work. Where appropriate, the sources are quoted verbatim and users of this content are encouraged to click on the sources for direct and up-to-date information.
The vaccines included in these questions are:
general vaccines
COVID-19
diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccine
hepatitis B
herpes zoster (shingles)
human papillomavirus (HPV)
influenza
measles, mumps and rubella
meningococcal
pneumococcal
polio
respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
rotavirus
varicella (chicken pox)
Click on the vaccine responses below to view the details and sources for each.
General Vaccines
Are vaccines are safe?
The benefit of recommended vaccines significantly outweighs the rare risks of vaccine complications. There are resources to report vaccine safety and adverse events. All vaccines for use in Canada have been assessed and approved for use by Health Canada. In addition, all vaccines in use are monitored for safety on an ongoing basis.
View the full sources here.
Are vaccine preventable diseases still a concern?
We do not see many high rates of these diseases in Canada due to high levels of vaccinations; however, these still exist and can have devastating outcomes if not vaccinated. COVID-19 and influenza continue to be very prevalent as new strains of the virus circulate in the community.
View the full sources here.
Are vaccines made with aborted fetal cells?
Vaccines do not contain fetal cells and no abortions are performed to make vaccines.
Are vaccines linked to autism spectrum disorder?
This is a common misinformation. There is no scientific evidence that childhood vaccines cause autism.
View the full sources here.
What is the difference between mRNA and non-mRNA vaccines?
mRNA vaccines contain mRNA which provides the instructions for the body to produce the parts of the virus within its own cells. The mRNA vaccine can be produced much faster and more efficiently than other vaccine types. Other vaccines do not contain mRNA and instead use protein or other structures to induce an antibody response.
View the full sources here.
Does getting the disease have a better immune response than the vaccine?
In general natural and vaccine induced immunity are equivalent. For some illnesses vaccines may have to be repeated. Vaccines help the body learn how to defend itself from disease without the dangers of a full-blown infection.
View the full sources here.
Are there mercury or other toxic substances in vaccines?
There can be trace amounts of additional ingredients such as adjuvants, preservatives, additives, and other substances in vaccines.
View the full sources here.
Is the childhood vaccine schedule too aggressive?
The schedules are developed to maximize early protection without causing harm before children can be exposed to the diseases.
View the full sources here.
Does the vaccine cause the disease?
Depending on the type of vaccine, some vaccines potentially can cause very mild disease or minor symptoms of the disease that are significantly less than the dangers of getting the disease itself.
View the full sources here.
Are physicians profiting from pharmaceutical companies and do they have a conflict of interest to give patients vaccines?
There is no payment from pharmaceutical companies to physicians for administering, prescribing or recommending vaccines.
View the full sources here.
Do healthy people need vaccines?
Even healthy people can get very sick or die from diseases that can be prevented by vaccines; this can be unpredictable. Getting vaccinated also protects more vulnerable people through herd immunity.
View the full sources here.
Do vaccines make people infertile?
Available evidence indicates that vaccines do not cause infertility; to the contrary, there is evidence that some diseases themselves can cause issues with fertility and pregnancy related poor fetal outcomes (i.e.: COVID-19, mumps, rubella).
View the full sources here.
Are there true allergic reactions to vaccines?
Anaphylaxis is very rare and occurs at a rate of approximately 1 case per million doses for many vaccines. For that reason, EpiPens and other equipment are carried by vaccine administrators.
View the full sources here.
Are vaccines still necessary with advances in hygiene?
Hygiene plays a role for some disease transmission, but not all. Many infections are transmitted via airborne and droplet exposure, therefore infection remains possible, despite hygiene efforts.
View the full sources here.
How do we know vaccines are working?
Vaccines are not released by Health Canada until they are proven to be effective. Vaccines such as influenza and COVID-19 are modified based on circulating strains to ensure efficacy.
View the full sources here.
Why are some the vaccines (RSV and shingles) not covered by the Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan?
It is a government decision for which vaccines are covered and varies by province.
View the full sources here.
Do vaccines cause sudden infant death syndrome?
The evidence accumulated over many years does not show any links between childhood immunization and SIDS.
View the full sources here.
COVID-19
Why should I get the vaccine if it is just to prevent something like a cold or influenza?
The range of symptoms may range from minor to severe disease, and can vary with different viruses. Some people can develop longer term symptoms such as post-infectious disease syndromes [examples include post-- COVID condition, or Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C)]; pregnancy complications for mothers or infants; cardiovascular events, or rare illness such as myocarditis or encephalitis, or even death. We can’t always predict who will have a rare or serious complication, but it has been clearly demonstrated that vaccinations help to prevent severe outcomes and complications.
View the full sources here.
Why do I need more than one COVID-19 or influenza vaccine?
Viruses like influenza and SARS-CoV-2 mutate over time but modifications to the vaccines in order to match the changed viruses help to keep immunity current to match the circulating virus strains. In addition, protection from some vaccines wane over time, so a repeat vaccine dose to boost the immunity can help.
View the full sources here.
Is COVID-19 still circulating?
Yes and it will likely never go away due to its tendency to frequently mutate.
View the full sources here.
Should pregnant people get the vaccine?
The vaccine helps protect against serious outcomes for a pregnant person and their baby if they get the illness.
View the full sources here.
What are the adverse event risks from the vaccine?
Having the illness itself has a much higher risk than the vaccine, where adverse events are generally rare.
View the full sources here.
How was the COVID mRNA vaccine researched and approved?
As with any vaccine approval, Health Canada experts reviewed data from the required clinical trials and approve vaccines that meet safety standards, effectively reduce risk of disease, and meet manufacturing standards. Vaccination[1] guidelines are issues to assess the benefit of vaccination in the context of risks of disease and of adverse events. There continues to be ongoing safety monitoring after release.
View the full sources here.
Does the vaccine change a person’s menstrual cycle?
The current research suggests the vaccine is associated with a small (approximately one day) increase in menstrual cycle length and only for the first menstrual cycle.
View the full sources here.
Are there microchips in the vaccine?
There are no microchips in the vaccine.
View the full sources here.
Why do people still get COVID after the vaccine?
The virus's coat has changed over time, making the immune response people made to the vaccine AND to previous infections a bit less effective at blocking the virus. re are mutations to the virus meaning the current vaccine may not apply to new strains of COVID-19. This is why the vaccine has been updated, and may be updated again. There arte still many undiagnosed, nonsevere infections. Since 2022 public health has instead tracked how effective the vaccine is in preventing severe disease and hospitalization.
View the full sources here.
Should children get the vaccine?
All children over 6 months and youth should get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine, and may be offered updated vaccines as well. The strength of the recommendation for additional doses is based on the individual child's context which includes their own medical risk and the current risk of COVID-19 infection. Children are less likely to have severe COVID-19 however, some healthy children and teens have required hospitalization, some with multisystem inflammatory syndrome requiring treatment, and kids can also have longer-term effects such as long-COVID.
View the full sources here.
Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis
What are the adverse event risks of the vaccine?
Soreness or swelling where the vaccine was given, fever, fussiness, feeling tired, loss of appetite, and vomiting sometimes happen after diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis vaccination.
View the full sources here.
Why is diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis dangerous?
DIPHTHERIA can lead to difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, or death.
TETANUS causes painful stiffening of the muscles. Tetanus can lead to serious health problems, including being unable to open the mouth, having trouble swallowing and breathing, or death.
PERTUSSIS, also known as “whooping cough,” can cause uncontrollable, violent coughing that makes it hard to breathe, eat, or drink. Pertussis can be extremely serious especially in babies and young children, causing pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage, or death. In teens and adults, it can cause weight loss, loss of bladder control, passing out, and rib fractures from severe coughing.
View the full sources here.
Why do people need tetanus once every 10 years?
Additional doses are required once every 10 years to maintain immunity.
Hepatitis B
Can a person vaccinated for hepatitis B still get the disease?
It is possible as the vaccine is 95-100% effective.
View the full sources here.
Who should receive the vaccine?
Routine HB immunization is recommended for all children.
View the full sources here.
Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
What is shingles?
Once a person has chickenpox, they will always have the virus in their body. Sometimes the virus becomes active again, causing shingles followed by postherpetic neuralgia.
View the full sources here.
What are the adverse events from this vaccine?
Very common adverse events occur in 10% or more of vaccinees. Common adverse events occur in 1% to less than 10% of vaccinees.
View the full sources here.
Is shingles common and who gets it?
One in three Canadians will have shingles. Anyone who has had chickenpox can get shingles.
View the full sources here.
Should people who had chickenpox get the vaccine?
Yes, sometimes people do not know they have had chickenpox as the disease may have been mild in early childhood. Even if a person has not had chickenpox or had the chickenpox vaccine, it is ok to get the shingles vaccine.
View the full sources here.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
Why do both sexes need the vaccine?
It helps to prevent cancers in both sexes. The predominant concern is cervical cancer but also mouth, throat and anal cancer. 75% of Canadians will have an HPV infection at some time if not immunized.
View the full sources here.
Why is the vaccine recommended for adolescents if they are not sexually active?
The vaccine is most effective at providing protection when given before exposure.
View the full sources here.
Are PAP tests still required after the vaccine?
Cervical cancer is much less likely after vaccination but may still occur; therefore, routine PAP test are still recommended.
View the full sources here.
Is the vaccine too new to be administered?
The vaccine was licensed in Canada in 2006; there is almost 20 years of data showing a favorable safety profile.
View the full sources here.
Influenza
Why should people get the vaccine?
Getting a yearly influenza vaccine lowers the chances of having serious complications or dying of influenza infection.
View the full sources here.
If someone never has influenza symptoms, why should they get the vaccine?
If someone has been lucky enough to never had a symptomatic influenza infection, this has no bearing on their risk of getting sick from influenza infection in the future. As someone ages, their risk profile for severe influenza infection may also increase due to age and comorbidities.
View the full sources here.
Why can people get influenza after they have the vaccine?
The influenza virus is constantly changing; sometimes the vaccine does not include a particular strain. Additionally, many people confuse influenza with other upper respiratory infections caused by other viruses.
View the full sources here.
Why is the influenza vaccine needed every year?
Influenza viruses are always changing. They change through two processes: “antigenic drift” and “antigenic shift”.
View the full sources here.
Measles, Mumps, Rubella
What is measles, mumps and rubella?
Measles infection can result in hospitalization. Severe complications, while rare, can also result in death. Mumps sometimes causes complications in children and adults including inflammation of testicles, breasts, ovaries, the brain. spinal cord and permanent deafness. In adults, serious complications from rubella serious such as thrombocytopenia, encephalitis and progressive rubella panencephalitis are rare.
View the full sources here.
Is there still a risk for these diseases?
Yes. Recently measles has resurged in Canada. Maintaining a high population coverage rate retains community immunity; thus, reducing outbreaks.
View the full sources here.
Meningococcal
What is the difference between meningitis and meningococcal disease?
Meningitis is an infection of the fluid and membranes around the brain and spinal cord which may be caused by various bacteria and viruses. Meningococcal disease refers to a specific bacteria causing meningitis or meningococcemia which is a severe blood stream infection.
View the full sources here.
Why is this vaccine needed?
Fortunately, invasive meningococcal disease is a relatively rare disease, but it is life threatening, and vaccines are the best way to protect against meningococcal disease.
View the full sources here.
Pneumococcal
Why is this vaccine recommended for younger people?
There any many groups of people at particularly high risk of serious and invasive pneumococcal disease. While these at risk groups include the very young, and the elderly, it is also includes a long list of other younger or middle aged people with medical conditions or environmental or behavioural risk factors for invasive disease. The vaccine can protect all of these groups.
View the full sources here.
Polio
Is polio still a concern?
Yes, it is. Despite global elimination goals, polio eradication has not been achieved in all countries and we live in a global society where travel is common. As one of our physician colleagues says, “we can be just one flight away from contact with contagious polio!” For those who are not immunized, risk of contracting polio with travel to countries with circulating poliovirus (endemic or outbreak) remains. Importation of polio into Canada that can spread to other unimmunized people in Canada is an ongoing concern.
View the full sources here.