Get vaccinated for yourself and the movement 

For any student who forgot to get their flu shot this fall, you’re not alone. But that choice can have real consequences. 

A mere 33 per cent of Canadian adults got the shot in the 2024-25 season, despite the flu being responsible for around 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths in Canada each year, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

I’m not trying to scaremonger. Life happens, vaccination appointments get missed, and nobody is always in perfect health. 

It’s not productive to live in constant fear of illness, which is why I choose not to routinely wear masks or isolate from friends and family. I take public transit, go to the movies and attend concerts in large crowds. But I also try not to live my life at the cost of someone else’s. No inconvenience is worth someone’s health.

Choosing not to get vaccinated isn’t just about getting sick; it’s morphing into a political decision with greater consequences. Fewer people getting the shot means more unnecessary deaths, according to the Canadian Medical Association. Specifically, the deaths of children and other vulnerable individuals.

I’m confident that no one wants to have that on their conscience. 

So what can we do? The simple answer is to wash our hands, stay home when we’re sick and stay on top of vaccinations. The more complicated answer is that protecting ourselves and our community requires challenging anti-vaccination rhetoric. 

This rhetoric even inspired policy change in the United States. On Jan. 5, the country reduced the number of recommended vaccines for children from 17 to 11. U.S. President Donald Trump said this number of vaccinations is “far more reasonable.”

Suddenly, vaccines for illnesses such as the flu or rotavirus weren’t deemed important enough — it’s not like they’ve hospitalized hundreds of children. Medical experts who spoke with the Associated Press said the change “creates confusion for parents and could increase preventable diseases.”

Dr. Zainab Abdurrahman, the president of the Ontario Medical Association, warned that Canadians may be influenced to view the vaccines cut from the American guidelines as unnecessary, even though they’re very important. 

It’s not only the Fox News-watching, RFK Jr.-following anti-vaxxers who are the problem. All Canadians need to stay up to date on their vaccines for everyone’s safety. 

“We’re so closely tied to the U.S., information is shared freely, people can travel freely. Any time something happens where the rate of getting a vaccine goes down, it could result in more cases in both countries,” said Dr. Allan Grill, chief of family medicine at Markham Stouffville Hospital, in an interview with CTV. 

While fewer Americans and Canadians may be travelling across the border, Dr. Sohail Gandhi, family doctor and former president of the Ontario Medical Association, explained to CTV that visiting any areas of reduced immunization and insufficient herd immunity will lead to an uptick of these diseases in Canada. The consequences of American vaccine cuts pose a clear and identifiable health risk for Canadians. 

As a university student, I can confidently say my demographic deals with enough colds and sicknesses as it is. We don’t need to add preventable illnesses to the mix.

Dalhousie University’s Dr. Scott Halperin told CBC that vaccine debates are cyclical, saying, “The population is more susceptible when they forget about diseases.” Vaccines are often not taken seriously until an outbreak reminds us of the consequences.

We can protect our healthcare system through proactivity. In Canada, modern medicine is advanced and accessible, yet we take it for granted until it’s too late. 

Getting vaccinated means helping yourself, your family, friends and the person sitting beside you on the bus, while safeguarding Canada from poor public health decisions made outside our borders.