Immunizations

Immunizing children protects them from serious and often life-threatening illnesses. Children born before 1994 were protected from eight diseases and those born before 1985 were only protected from seven. Today in Ontario, we can make sure children are protected from 13 diseases by the time they are 15 months old.

Some vaccines need to be given several times to provide full protection. Sometimes a booster is needed as well. This strengthens immunity by reminding your child’s body how to protect itself.

Immunizations can cause pain that may cause stress and anxiety. Immunize Canada provides tips on what you can do, what you can give, and how you can act to make immunization a better experience:

• Pain management during immunization for children (under age 3)
• Pain management during immunization for kids and adolescents
• Pain management during immunization for adults

Under the Child Care and Early Years Act and the Immunization of School Pupils Act, Medical Officers of Health must have an immunization record on file for children in licensed child care centres and schools. If a child or student is overdue for immunizations, a Public Health Nurse will send a notice to the parent/guardian.

Records also help us find out who is at risk if there is an outbreak. If there is an outbreak, children who do not have proof of immunization may temporarily not be allowed at child care or school.

 Children must be immunized or have an immunization exemption filed with us in order to go to school or licensed child care in Ontario. We will send you a notice if we have not received your child’s immunization record or if your child has not received the required vaccine(s). Health care providers do not automatically report your child’s vaccines to public health, so you may just need to report vaccines that were already given.

These vaccines are required to attend school:

• Diphtheria

• Measles

• Meningococcal disease

• Mumps

• Pertussis (whooping cough)

• Polio

• Rubella

• Tetanus

• Varicella (chickenpox) for children born after 2009

 These immunizations are required to attend child care:

• Diphtheria

• Haemophilus influenzae type B

• Measles

• Meningococcal disease

• Mumps

• Pneumococcal disease

• Polio

• Rubella

• Tetanus

• Varicella/chickenpox (if they have not already had the disease)

Find your child’s immunization record. Your child may have already received the vaccines but they were not reported to the health unit. Once you have your child’s immunization record with the required vaccines, you can report it to us online, in person or by mail.

If your child has not had the required vaccines, please take the letter to your health care provider to get them. You will need to provide a record to us following your appointment. If you do not have a health care provider, we may be able to provide the vaccines. Please call us.

If you have chosen not to have your child vaccinated for medical, religious or personal reasons, ensure that you have provided the proper immunization exemption information to the Health Unit. 

Vaccines have been shown to be safe and they protect children from several serious diseases. If you do not want to vaccinate your child, learn what immunization exemption is required and make sure you give the proper information to us.