Halton Region Public Health: Office of the Medical Officer of Health
Quick facts
- This year, Halton Region Public Health is enforcing the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) for students born in 2008-2013 and 2016-2018 (grades 2-4 and 7-12). Students in these cohorts may be suspended from school in early 2025 if their immunization records remain incomplete. Learn more about key dates and the process by watching a recording of the recent webinar (YouTube video link).
- Public Health will be mailing out letters to impacted families starting in October.
- Public Health is changing how they administer school-based immunizations (Men-C-ACYW-135, Hepatitis B, and HPV-9 vaccines). Starting this school year (2025-26) nurses will visit each school once per year (instead of twice as in previous years), offering first doses of the school-based vaccines to Grade 7 students and second doses or missed doses of school-based vaccines to Grade 8 students.
- The School-Based Vaccine Ordering and Reporting Form can be used to order Men-C-ACYW135, Hepatitis B and HPV-9 vaccines for students in grades 7-12.
- Routine and high-risk vaccines can be ordered using the online vaccine ordering form.
Key messages for healthcare providers
- Your office may experience an increase in immunization-related requests as parents respond to letters from Public Health related to ISPA enforcement.
- Patients with incomplete immunization or lacking adequate documentation of immunization should be considered unimmunized and started on an immunization schedule appropriate for their age and risk factors. Refer to Catch-up Schedule 2: Children Starting Immunization between 7-17 Years in the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario – June 2022 (external PDF).
- If you have questions about a student’s record, refer to our ISPA Resource Guide for Healthcare Professionals or call 311 and ask to speak to an Immunization Nurse.
- Some students may be eligible for medical exemptions based on serologic immunity, clinical diagnosis of disease or a true vaccine contraindication. The Statement of Medical Exemption form must be filled out by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner.
- Remind families to report their records to public health, especially at the time of immunization, by going to halton.ca/immunize.
- Students may seek doses of school-based immunizations through their primary care provider if they missed receiving them at the school clinic, or if they wish to receive second doses prior to the next school year.
- For students under 15, immunization against both Hepatitis B and HPV-9 requires two doses given at least 6 months apart. Longer intervals between doses result in appropriate levels of immunity and restarting a vaccine series is not required when the second dose is given greater than 6 months after the first.
- Healthcare providers should report doses of school-based vaccines that they have administered to Public Health by completing and faxing the last page of the School-Based Vaccine Ordering and Reporting Form (PDF file) to 905-465-3403 with their next school-based vaccine order. This information helps Public Health staff know about any previous doses of school-based vaccines that have been administered if the student presents at an in-school immunization clinic.
- Men-C-ACYW-135, Hepatitis B and HPV-9 vaccines that will be administered as part of the highrisk vaccine program, must continue to be ordered through the online vaccine ordering form as a high-risk vaccine order
Key messages for patients
- Parents or guardians are responsible for reporting all of their child’s immunizations to Public Health, including any school-based vaccines that were not given by Public Health, by visiting halton.ca/immunize.
- Students may have already received the required vaccines during childhood, and the records only need to be reported to Public Health (the student may not need any additional immunizations).
- Families seeking a vaccine exemption due to personal choice must complete a Vaccine Education Session and a Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form. Visit halton.ca/immunize for more information.
- Public Health visits each school once per year to provide school-based vaccines to students in Grades 7 and 8. Students may receive second doses of Hep B and HPV vaccines through a healthcare provider, at a Public Health community clinic, or at a school clinic the following year when they are in Grade 8. Visit halton.ca/immunize to check for community clinic availability.
- Immunization is the best way to protect your child, family, and community from life-threatening diseases.