National Immunization Awareness Week (NIAW) is an annual event held the last week of April to highlight and reflect on the importance of immunization. This year, Canada’s NIAW – from 24 to 30 April 2023. This year let’s focus on Routine Vaccines.
Routine Immunizations for School
Children who go to school in Ontario are required to be immunized against 9 diseases unless they have an exemption with the health unit. These vaccines are part of Ontario’s Routine Immunization Schedule. Health care providers can give most of these immunizations, that are required by age 4. The health unit provides additional vaccinations, in Grade 7 but can also give other vaccines, if needed.
Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA)
As per the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), if you have a child that attends elementary or secondary school in Ontario, then it is your duty as their parent/legal guardian to report their immunization information to the local health unit. Health care providers do not have to report immunizations to the local health unit. Every time your child receives an immunization, please contact the health unit with the updated information.
Reporting Immunizations to the Health Unit.
Health care providers, schools, and the health unit work together to keep our children safe. This is no different with immunizations. While you may have taken your child to their health care provider to get immunized when they were little (e.g., newborn to 4 years old), the health unit will not have your child’s immunization information unless you have provided it to the health unit. Any immunization you provided to your child’s school when registered them was shared with the health unit. However, if you forgot an immunization, or immunized your child after registering them for school, that information needs to be reported to the health unit so that your child’s immunization record is up to date.
Reporting immunizations to the health unit is quick and easy – especially if you update the information after every immunization. There are several ways to report your child’s vaccinations to the Health Unit.
We’re here to help if you have questions about immunizing your child.
Additional resources: