Parents and guardians reminded to report children’s vaccinations to Halton Region Public Health

Halton Region Public Health is encouraging the parents and guardians of students in grades 9 to 12 (born in 2006-2009) to ensure they are up-to-date on routine vaccinations and to report their records to Public Health.

“Routine childhood vaccinations protect against diseases like measles, chickenpox, polio and many other viruses that have been greatly reduced in Canada due to availability of safe and effective vaccines,” said Dr. Deepika Lobo, Halton Region’s Acting Medical Officer of Health. “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students may have fallen behind on their regular vaccinations. Please ensure your children have up-to-date immunizations and are protected, and remember to notify Halton Region Public Health after every vaccine they receive.”

Halton Region Public Health enforces Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (external link) (ISPA), which requires that students receive routine immunizations to help stop the spread of vaccine preventable diseases. This school year, students in grades 9 to 12 may be suspended from school in early 2024 if their immunization records are not up-to-date. Families should check to make sure students have received all necessary doses to protect against:

• Diphtheria
• Tetanus
• Polio
• Measles
• Mumps
• Rubella
• Meningococcal disease (group ACYW-135)
• Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Varicella (chickenpox), for children born in 2010 or later

Eligible students who are missing vaccines can:

• request immunization from their primary health care provider; or
• visit a walk-in clinic.

Community clinics are being planned for October, November and December 2023, and early 2024. Please continue to check the school-based immunizations page for community clinic dates and appointments.

Parents and guardians can easily view their child’s immunization record online and report their children’s immunization records to Public Health by:

• using Halton’s reporting system available at halton.ca/immunize;
• calling 311; or
• mailing or dropping off records at the Halton Regional Centre located at 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, L6M 3L1.

For more information, please visit halton.ca/immunize.

The Regional Municipality of Halton serves more than 637,000 residents in the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Oakville. Halton Region is committed to meeting the needs of its residents through the delivery of cost-effective, quality programs and services, including water and wastewater; Regional roads and planning; paramedic services; waste management; public health; social assistance; children’s and seniors’ services; housing services; heritage programs; emergency management and economic development. For more information, call 311 or visit Halton Region’s website at halton.ca.