To attend school in Ontario, students need to be immunized (vaccinated) against nine vaccine-preventable diseases, including diphtheria, measles, meningococcal diseases, mumps, pertussis, polio, rubella, tetanus, and varicella (required for children born in 2010 or after) or provide a valid exemption. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) has completed a review of student immunization (vaccine) records for students born in 2007 and 2017 (7 and 17-year-olds) for compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act(link is external) (ISPA). Over 15,000 students have an incomplete immunization record meaning they could be missing important vaccines, or in many cases, their immunizations have not been reported to OPH. Ensuring immunization records are kept up to date with the local public health unit helps protect your child and the community from infectious diseases.
Today, through to mid-January, OPH will begin sending Notices of Incomplete Immunization Records for students born in 2007 and 2017 through schools, and once mail service resumes, via mail. This notice will show what vaccines are missing and how to update the immunization record with OPH. Your child may have received these immunizations, but the notice means they are not on record with OPH. Parents or guardians have one month to update their record with OPH before a second notice which includes a Suspension Order, is sent. This second notice gives parents another month to update the record before the suspension starts. Suspension is a last resort option to ensure immunization records have been updated and can last up to 20 school days if no action is taken.
The objective is to ensure parents know how to verify their child’s records, get their child any missing vaccines, and update their records with OPH. While OPH is focused on the 2007 and 2017 cohort this year, OPH encourages all parents to check their child’s immunization records (compare these with the publicly funded immunization scheduleOpens in a new tab or window(link is external)) to ensure their child’s vaccinations are up to date and reported(link is external) to OPH. Primary care providers do not report vaccines to OPH. Parents are responsible for keeping OPH informed every time their child receives a routine childhood vaccine. Parents can update their child’s immunization records with OPH by using either the online Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) Tool(link is external) or the CANImmunize App(link is external).
If your child is missing vaccines, you should speak to your primary care provider such as a family doctor or nurse practitioner. For those who do not have a primary care provider, walk-in clinics may be able to provide missing vaccines. These vaccines are not available through pharmacies. Families facing barriers to accessing routine vaccinations can book an appointment at one of the many Kids Come First – Vaccinate and Up-to-Date Clinics(link is external). Additionally, OPH offers drop-in clinics at the Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs(link is external).
To learn more about what vaccines are required to attend school, how to verify your child’s immunization record, where to receive these vaccines, visit ParentingInOttawa.ca/Immunization(link is external). You can also connect with OPH on Facebook(link is external), X (formerly Twitter)(link is external) and Instagram.(link is external)
