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Vaccine History Timeline
1757
First reference in primary-source material to smallpox “inoculation” (i.e. variolation) in Nova Scotia, although the practice was generally discouraged by the colonial government because of worries that it would spread smallpox.
Read more1761
The Nova Scotia House of Assembly introduces “An Act to prevent the spreading of contagious distempers” and is primarily aimed at preventing the spread of disease from ships.
Read more1799
In response to yellow fever epidemics in United States, the House of Assembly expands its public health legislation. While it focused primarily on quarantine measures, it also allowed for the Governor or Lieutenant Governor to appoint a health…
Read more1815
During a smallpox epidemic, the House of Assembly passes a resolution to reserve £500 for the prevention of further spread of the disease. A circular is sent to rural physicians advising them that they would be compensated for the vaccination of…
Read more1827
A smallpox epidemic in Halifax leads to a mass vaccination program of over 1750 residents.
Read more1832
In response to an outbreak of cholera, the House of Assembly passes “An act more effectually to provide against the introduction of Infectious or Contagious Diseases, and the spreading thereof in this Province,” which allows for the creation…
Read more1841
During another smallpox epidemic, a bill is presented to the House of Assembly provide for the immediate vaccination of the poor in Halifax. Provincial Secretary Sir Rupert George sends a circular to the Boards of Health authorizing them to…
Read more1851
The Public Health Act provides that the Boards of Health may provide “for the expense of the vaccination of such poor and indigent persons as are unable to pay therefor.”
Read more1888
Legislation mandates that Halifax and every incorporated town must have a Board of Health and that municipalities must pay for the expenses that the Board incurs in preventing infectious/contagious diseases.
Read more1888
Legislation mandates that children cannot attend school without proof of smallpox vaccination from a “legally qualified medical practitioner.”
Read more1900
Legislation empowers the Chief Health Officer to “afford facilities for gratuitous vaccination.”
Read more1904
Provincial Board of Health is replaced by Department of Public health, and the title of Chief Health Officer is changed to Provincial Health Officer.
Read more1918
Acts related to Public Health are consolidated and revised. Legislation names many contagious diseases of concern to the province, including measles, mumps and rubella.
Read more1918
Public Health Act gives parents a choice to reject vaccination on the grounds of “conscientious objection,” allows parents to apply for a payment for vaccination if they cannot afford it, and establishes that children must be vaccinated…
Read more1918
The hospital ship Araguayan arrives in Halifax Harbour with returning soldiers, many of whom are sick with Spanish flu. It is quarantined for a time in the harbour. Despite this early arrival of the disease in Nova Scotia, the epidemic does not…
Read more1922
Conscientious objector certificates are made valid for one year only, meaning that parents will have to reapply for the certificate every year in order for their children to legally attend school.
Read more1926
The City Health Board in Halifax requests that the Infectious Disease Hospital be repaired as it is in such a dilapidated state that patients cannot be kept safely there in winter. It also requests funds to buy Diphtheria anti-toxin, as supplies…
Read more1938
The Department of Public Health is appointed a minister in addition to a Chief Health Officer.
Read more1938
Diphtheria toxoid is given on a large-scale basis free of charge. Vaccination for diphtheria occurs in clinics and schools. The vaccination campaign is intense between 1938 and 1940, with thousands being immunized.
Read more1940
Children from Britain were brought to Nova Scotia to avoid bombing and placed in foster families. British children were Schick tested for diphtheria and toxoided if they were found to be susceptible, and were all vaccinated for smallpox. The…
Read more1940
The Divisional Medical Officer in the Western Division (Yarmouth area) calls for the province to uniformly establish Well Baby Clinics in his submission to the Department of Public Health’s Annual Report, as he finds that in areas where the…
Read more1941
Over 15 000 cases of measles reported in British Columbia–more than a third of which are reported in Metropolitan Vancouver (see “Measles in B.C.: Then and Now,” on ImmunizeBC.ca)
Read more1949
An American tourist dies of a suspected case of smallpox after travelling to NS via other parts of Canada.
Read more1951
Polio outbreak in province, resulting in 23 deaths. The Victoria General hospital in Halifax opens a new polio clinic, with branch clinics in Antigonish and Sydney.
Read more1955-1964
In British Columbia, rubeola (red measles) causes on average five deaths per year
Read more1955
National field trials of the Salk vaccine begin, and Nova Scotia begins to vaccinate school-age children.
Read more1956
The Department falls short of its plans to vaccinate 200,000 children with the Salk Vaccine due to a shortage; however, they do manage to vaccinate 100,000.
Read more1958
No cases of poliomyelitis reported in the province, reflecting the success of the vaccination campaign.
Read more1961
Dr. Vern Rideout and Dr. C.E. Van Rooyen, along with a team of other medical professionals, conduct the Wedgeport Vaccine Trials in the rural communities of Wedgeport and Comeau’s Hill to test the efficacy of the Sabin polio vaccine. Over 1500…
Read moreJune 1962
Results of Wedgeport Vaccine Trails are published in the CMAJ (Vol. 86, No. 26, June 30, 1962). Results show that “Fifty-one persons who lacked antibody to Type I poliovirus prior to vaccination showed a four-fold or greater rise in antibody…
Read more1962
Children in Halifax County are offered the Sabin vaccine. Over 80% of school children participated, according to the Annual Report of that year. A province-wide program is established then halted due on the advice of the Federal government…
Read more1962
Legislation introduces “Health Units” in the province and assigns the local Medical health Officer to be the director of each Unit.
Read more1963
After both an an inactivated and a live attenuated measles vaccine are licensed for use in the United States, the Health Branch of the Province of B.C. announces that it “does not plan to purchase and distribute measles vaccine free of…
Read more1964
Oral (Sabin) polio vaccination clinics are established throughout the province to administer vaccine to preschool and school-age children. Two clinics (spring and fall) administer two doses of the vaccine [PANS, Acc. 2013-017, File 1076].
Read moreMay 1964
The B.C. Medical Journal publishes a “Public Health and Mental News” report discussing the risk of congenital birth defects in children born to women who develop rubella (“German” measles) during the first free months of pregnancy; report…
Read moreQuebec test
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Read more1965
The Annual Report of the Department of Public Health (DPH) records that 94.5% of Grade 1 children and 95.8% of Grade 6 children are vaccinated against smallpox, and that immunization against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and poliomyelitis is at…
Read moreMay 1965
Pitman-Moore’s highly attenuated live virus “Lirugen” vaccine (for rubeola, or red measles) is licensed for use in Canada: the University of British Columbia’s Child Health Programme is the first to use the vaccine [131-F-5-F3a 032]
Read moreOntario test
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Read moreOctober 1965
First ever community measles clinic in British Columbia held in Kelowna: 1 756 children receive a dose of Pitman-Moore’s Lirugen, which provides protection against rubeola; similar community clinics are hosted in Vernon, Princeton, Trail, and…
Read more1966
The B.C. Medical Association endorses the recommendation of its Child Care Committee (Health Planning Council) that rubeola (red measles) vaccine be provided to all infants and children [129-F-5-F2 006]
Read more1967
Alderman L.E. Moir of the Halifax City Council requests that the Director of Health and Welfare prepare a written report on the feasibility of providing a mass measles vaccine campaign for the city.
Read more1967
At the annual meeting of the Associated Boards of Health of British Columbia, “a resolution urging the Provincial Government to purchase and distribute measles vaccine [is] passed unanimously” [131-F-5-F3a 028]
Read more1968
The live measles vaccine is introduced into the public health immunization program, but is only available for free at Department of Public Health immunization clinics. Those that go to their family doctor must pay for the vaccination.
Read moreFeb. 7, 1968
B.C. Ministry of Health Services and Hospital Insurance declines the Vancouver Metropolitan Board of Health’s request for funding [131-F-5-F3a 020] for a mass immunization campaign to eradicate red measles
Read moreFeb. 14, 1968
The Vancouver Metropolitan Board of Health issues a news release in an effort to raise awareness about the complications of measles infection, as well as the lack of provincial funding to provide “free measles vaccine to susceptible…
Read moreMar. 23-24, 1968
A campaign to immunize children up to the age of 12 [131-F-5-F3a 040] against red measles using attenuated live virus “Lirugen” vaccine commences throughout Greater Victoria Region [131-F-5-F3a 036]; campaign slogan is “End Measles Once and…
Read moreSept. 17, 1968
At their Fifteenth Annual Meeting, which is held in Vancouver, the Associated Boards of Health of B.C. again moves to “petition the Provincial Government [131-F-5-F3a 024] to provide, without charge, measles vaccine to health departments and…
Read moreOctober 1968
The Deputy Minister of the DPH makes a recommendation in a letter to the Medical Society of Nova Scotia (MSNS) that public health nurses be allowed to carry out “agreed upon immunization injections without charge in public clinics and in…
Read more1969
The Interagency Committee on the Prevention of Birth Defects from Congenital Rubella in British Columbia meets to discuss the control of rubella; their report [131-F-5-F3c 051] recommends that the Health Branch provide rubella vaccine free of…
Read more1969
Measles and Rubella are made “reportable diseases” in Nova Scotia (i.e. health care professionals and teachers are obliged by law to report these diseases to the Department if encountered).
Read more1969
The City of Vancouver proposes a plan immunize at least 80% of the “estimated total [131-F-5-F3a 013] measles susceptible population of 50,000 children,” which will include an “educational program [131-F-5-F3a 013] . . . to ensure that the…
Read moreFeb. 12, 1969
For the fiscal year 1969-1970, in response to recommendations from the Health Officers’ Council and the Child Care Committee of the B.C. Medical Association, the Provincial Government provides funding to the Health Branch to “offer every…
Read moreJune 1969
Limited provincial funding is approved for the cost of the B.C. Measles Vaccination Program; initial plan is to secure approximately 55 000 doses of the single-dose attenuated live virus “Lirugen” vaccine [131-F-5-F3a 030]; a June 1969…
Read moreOctober 1969
The MSNS recommends to the DPH that doctors be provided with the live measles antigen free of charge; the DPH, however, does not do so due to high cost of vaccine [PANS, Acc. 2013-017, File 1495].
Read more1969
The Atlantic Health Unit (Halifax area) changes from a school-based immunization program to a “community-based” immunization program [PANS, RG 25, Vol. 674, File 10].
Read more1970
Private physicians receive free killed vaccines for use in their offices that are part of the province’s immunization program from the DPH.
Read moreFeb. 18, 1970
The Metropolitan Board of Health of Greater Vancouver endorses the province-wide implementation of a rubella control program [131-F-5-F3b 048], in anticipation of the development of an effective vaccine
Read moreMarch 1970
A rubella epidemic [131-F-5-F3b 011] breaks out in Metropolitan Vancouver Region and throughout the province
Read moreMay 1970
Canada’s Food and Drug Directorate licenses two new live virus German measles (Rubella) vaccines [Canadian Medical News 30 May 1970] for distribution in Canada: Cendevax [131-F-5-F3b 026] (Smith, Kline and French) and Meruvax [131-F-5-F3b 029]…
Read moreJun. 26, 1970
The Voluntary Association for Health and Welfare of British Columbia passes a motion [131-F-5-F3b 034] to urge for the immediate implementation of a mass immunization campaign against rubella
Read moreJun. 27, 1970
The Vancouver Province publishes an editorial [131-F-5-F3b 047] about the rubella epidemic
Read moreJun. 30, 1970
Vancouver’s Metropolitan Health Board steps up its efforts [131-F-5-F3b 043] to secure funding and support from the Provincial Government for a mass rubella immunization campaign; proposed plan is to secure federal and provincial funding for…
Read moreJuly 1970
As rubella epidemic spreads, demand increases [131-F-5-F3b 015] for a mass rubella immunization campaign throughout Metropolitan Vancouver; B.C. Health Minister continues negotiations [131-F-5-F3b 025] with U.S. vaccine manufacturers to secure…
Read moreJuly 1970
The Rubella Eradication Committee of the Kinsmen Foundation of Vancouver [131-F-5-F3c 047], citing the effects of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) [131-F-5-F3b 007], seeks donations and support for a mass rubella immunization campaign
Read moreJuly 1970
The Provincial Government makes H.I. testing for rubella susceptibility freely available to all pregnant women [131-F-5-F3c 044]
Read moreJul. 3, 1970
The Vancouver Section of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada [131-F-5-F3b 037] urges B.C. Premier, W.A.C. Bennett, and Minister of Health, Ralph Loffmark, to adopt the Metropolitan Board of Health’s proposed mass rubella immunization…
Read moreJul. 25, 1970
The B.C. Division of the Canadian Medical Association issues a press release [131-F-5-F3c 027] challenging “the recent statement by Canadian Health Minister John Munro that at this time an epidemic of German measles [rubella] does not exist in…
Read moreJul. 31, 1970
Vancouver City Council puts forward a motion [131-F-5-F3c 012] to secure additional funding from the Provincial and Federal Governments to guarantee the effective implementation in Metropolitan Vancouver of the rubella vaccination campaign
Read moreAugust 1970
In a letter to the DPH, the Dartmouth branch of the MSNS calls on the Department to immediately introduce a rubella vaccination program in order to prevent an “imminent” epidemic of rubella.
Read moreAug. 7, 1970
The Vancouver Sun applauds the success of province-wide efforts to stem the rubella epidemic [131-F-5-F3c 028], in an effort to generate funds and support for mass immunization campaign
Read moreAug. 11, 1970
The Greater Victoria Metropolitan Board of Health announces its intentions [131-F-5-F3c 025] to provide rubella vaccine to girls in grade six, and school children in grades one through four, at the start of the school year, followed by a campaign…
Read moreAug. 17, 1970
The Health Branch of B.C.’s Department of Health Services and Hospital Insurance issues an administrative circular [131-F-5-F3c 010] to all Health Unit Directors in anticipation of the September 1970 rubella vaccination campaign
Read moreSeptember 1970
Rubeola and rubella are made reportable diseases in B.C. so that Medical Health Officers in the province can use reporting data to determine the effectiveness of newly available vaccines for both diseases [“Rubeola and Rubella to Become…
Read moreSeptember 1970
“Stamp Out Rubella” or “Rubella ’70,” the Greater Vancouver Health Department’s campaign to immunize all schoolchildren between the ages of 1-12, commences on September 14, 1970; approximately 128 000 of the 166 000 eligible children…
Read moreOctober 1970
Rubella vaccination is introduced in Public Health clinics (evidence that DPH uses Meruvax for rubella vaccination in 1970s) [PANS, RG 25, Vol. 674, File 15].
Read moreOct. 7, 1970
Provincial Epidemiologist A.A. Larsen writes to all B.C. Health Unit Directors, instructing them to report on “any reactions of any consequence” [131-F-5-F3b 003] following the administration of rubella vaccine; all reported reactions are to…
Read moreOct. 22, 1970
Vancouver City Council moves to seek reimbursement [131-F-5-F3b 058] from the B.C. Ministry of Health for approximately $27 000 used for the purchase of additional vaccine for “Rubella ’70”
Read moreNov. 12, 1970
Vancouver Medical Health Officer, Dr. G.H. Bonham, thanks Vancouver School Board staff [131-F-5-F3c 001] for their contributions to the success of “Rubella ’70”
Read moreDecember 1970
The B.C. Health Branch confirms the availability of H.I. testing, to be used to determine susceptibility in pregnant women who may have come into contact with a suspected rubella case [“Rubella HI Test Freely Available,” B.C. Medical Journal…
Read moreDec. 22, 1970
B.C. Ministry of Health refuses Vancouver City Council’s request for reimbursement [131-F-5-F3b 059] for additional monies used to fund “Rubella ’70”
Read more1971
Public Health nurses are authorized by the DPH to give immunizations in order to cut down on waiting times in clinics and to reach those in homes that are unable to attend clinics [PANS, Acc. 2013-017, File 1324].
Read moreJanuary 1971
The Child Health Committee of the MSNS recommends that the attenuated live mumps vaccine be given to “pre-adolescents and older males who have no previous history of mumps infection and for children in closed population groups (i.e….
Read moreMarch 1971
Results of the province-wide 1970 rubella immunization programme are published in the B.C. Medical Journal with an accompanying announcement that a “second wave of [rubella] is presently occurring” across the province; according to the…
Read more1971-1972
B.C. experiences a widespread outbreak of mumps from Winter 1971 to Spring 1972 [“Mumps,” B.C. Medical Journal 14.6 (June 1972): 155 or B.C. Medical Journal 1972 Mumps Outbreak]
Read more1972
Concern among some doctors that measles rates in Nova Scotia remain high despite the availability of the measles vaccine. It is reported at the 116th Annual Meeting of the Medical Society of Nova Scotia that 16% of all cases of measles in Canada…
Read more1972
Government releases the report “A Change in Emphasis for the Department of Public Health” as a response to the introduction of MSI and the acknowledgement that many Nova Scotians now receive the basic health care, and especially…
Read moreJanuary 1972
The B.C. Health Branch initiates a study of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), to determine the number of newborns affected by the 1970-1971 rubella epidemic; the project requires the cooperation of all B.C. physicians, who will collect blood…
Read moreAugust 1974
The B.C. Minister of Health, Dennis Cooke, reports that after a few years of reduced cases, rubella is “again on the increase” across the province, with an unexpectedly sharp increase in cases of rubella in spring 1974, in Vancouver,…
Read more1975
The MMR Vaccine by Merck, Sharpe and Dohme is made available for use in public health clinics. It is introduced for children up to 5 years of age.
Read more1976
The Rubella vaccination program is initiated in order to vaccinate all eleven-year old girls, although policy regarding whether or not the vaccine should be given to menstruating girls is not yet clear.
Read more1977
Recognition in DPH that the introduction of MSI has made it difficult to track immunization coverage because data from doctors’ offices is not shared with Department [PANS, RG 25, Vol. 674, File 17]. Department begins to consider new methods of…
Read more1977
Due to the failure (i.e. decreased immunization coverage) of the “community-based” immunization program in the Atlantic Unit, a school-based program is re-introduced [PANS, RG 25, Vol. 674, File 10].
Read more1977
The Department of Public Health introduces “Immunization Month” in November. The evaluation of the first year finds that there was an increase of over 17,000 vaccinations administered in the last quarter of 1977 as compared with the final…
Read more1977
The Department of Public Health becomes the Department of Health. It undergoes a major reorganization.
Read moreNovember 1977
The MSNS makes a formal request to the Minister of Health for the Department to provide free live vaccines to private physicians.
Read more1978
Serological testing in Bedford in order to test effectiveness of “quad” vaccine (DPTP) finds that many children have “inadequate immunity” to polio [PANS, RG 25, Vol. 674, File 14].
Read moreSeptember 1978
The Advisory Committee on Communicable Disease Control with the Department makes a recommendation that live vaccines be supplied to private physicians, and that a small committee be set up to ensure the proper handling and controls of vaccines in…
Read more1979
Rubeola (red measles) epidemic breaks out in British Columbia (1 801 cases are notified) [242-F-2-F6 012], as well as in other Canadian provinces and parts of the U.S.
Read more1979
The DH announces a “reciprocal reporting mechanism” to help track vaccination coverage in the province. Doctors are provided with free live vaccines (including MMR and Rubella) and in return are expected to notify the department of…
Read more1980
Victorian Order of Nurses no longer administer immunization clinics – responsibility for all public immunization clinics taken over by the DH. However, V.O.N. nurses still take part in clinics [PANS, MG 20, Vol. 3513].
Read more1980
The title Public Health Nurse is changed to “Community Health Nurse.” The DPH advises nurses in preparation for media interviews to say that it was changed in order to “reflect the broad scope of the services and community contacts of the…
Read moreMay 1980
Vancouver Health Department’s Medical Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends that mass rubella immunization in preschool children be discontinued, and that future campaigns target susceptible adolescent and adult women [130-G-3-F8 008]
Read more1980-1981
To increase coverage against measles, the Vancouver Health Department introduces a policy [130-G-3-F8 004] to screen all boys and girls in grades nine and ten for rubeola (red measles) protection, and all girls in grades nine and ten for rubella…
Read moreMay 1981
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine becomes “available through the public health system for use after a child’s first birthday”; due to supply issues, however, “MMR will not be widely distributed to physicians,” and so the Health…
Read more1982
Together, the Vancouver Health Department and the Vancouver School Board jointly initiate “a policy of measles exclusion [242-F-2-F6 007] for lack of information regarding immunization status,” to be implemented in the event of a measles…
Read more1984
Province faces measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine supply shortages [242-F-2-F6 012] amidst measles outbreaks throughout B.C.
Read moreMay 1984
In response to measles outbreaks across the province, the Vancouver Health Department and Vancouver School Board put into effect their joint policy on measles exclusion [242-F-2-F6 020]
Read more1985-1986
Major outbreak of measles in Nova Scotia. Although this was a national problem, Nova Scotia was particularly affected. Between January 1985 to April 1986, Nova Scotia represented 11% of cases in Canada, despite only making up about 3% of the…
Read more1985
Target for November “Immunization Month” is the identification of and immunization for measles.
Read more1986
The Department of Health introduced an MMR booster for people immunized prior to Jan. 1, 1975.
Read more1987
The Department of Health is renamed the Department of Health and Fitness after it takes responsibility for that portfolio from the former Department of Culture, Recreation and Fitness.
Read moreAugust 1990
A press release issued by the Vancouver Health Department announces that, in 1991, measles is expected to break out across Vancouver; the report cites recent measles outbreaks in a number of major North American cities, including Montreal, Quebec…
Read moreAug. 2, 1990
As the Vancouver Health Department braces for a measles epidemic in 1991, which is expected to affect major cities across Canada, the Vancouver Sun reports on “a nationwide shortage of the measles vaccine” [720-E-3-F11 003]
Read moreOct. 5-7, 1994
The first Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Quebec City. The title is “Immunization in the 90s: Challenges & Solutions”.
Read moreDec. 8-11, 1996
The second Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Toronto. The title is “Immunizing for Health – Achieving Our National Goals”.
Read moreDec. 6-9, 1998
The third Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Calgary. The title is “Partnerships for Health Through Immunization”.
Read moreDec. 3-6, 2000
The fourth Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Halifax. The title is “Immunization in the 21st Century: Progress Through Education”.
Read moreDec. 1-3, 2002
The fifth Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Victoria. The title is “Canada’s National Immunization Strategy: From Vision to Action”.
Read moreDec. 5-8, 2004
The sixth Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Montreal. The title is “Immunization in Canada: Science – Programmes – Collaboration”.
Read moreDec. 3-6, 2006
The seventh Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Winnipeg. The title is “Celebrating Immunization in Canada: Achievements and Opportunities”.
Read moreNov. 30 – Dec. 3, 2008
The eighth Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Toronto. The title is “Partnership, Innovation and Education”.
Read moreDec. 5-8, 2010
The ninth Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Quebec City. The title is “Immunization: A Global Challenge for the 21st Century”.
Read moreDec. 3-5, 2012
The tenth Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Vancouver. The title is “Excellence in Immunization: Empowering, Engaging and Educating”.
Read moreDec. 2-4, 2014
The eleventh Canadian Immunization Conference is held in Ottawa. The title is “CIC 2014”.
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