Child Immunization and School Clinics

When you are giving a vaccine update, write your child's name and date of birth on every page.

If you received an immunization notice, we are missing vaccine information for your child.

Here is what you should do next:

• Talk to your health care provider to find out if your child is up to date.
• Compare our record with your health care provider's record.
• Visit your health care provider to receive missing vaccines.
• Give us the update for missing vaccines by the deadline on the notice.

You will receive a second immunization notice if we do not get the update. If we do not get an update for missing vaccines by the second deadline, your child may be suspended.

If you do not have a health care provider, contact your closest walk-in clinic. Call the Health Department if your child does not have an Ontario Health Card.

If your child cannot get vaccinated due to medical or personal beliefs, see the immunization exemption section.

Call us for a copy of your child's vaccine record.

All students under 18 years of age need vaccinations for the following diseases, as required by the Immunization of School Pupils Act:

• tetanus
• diphtheria
• pertussis
• polio
• measles
• mumps
• rubella
• varicella (if born on or after January 1, 2010)
• meningococcal disease group C (under 12 years of age)
• meningococcal disease group ACYW-135 (over 12 years of age)

Get more information on the Immunization of School Pupils Act.

Medical exemptions

If your child cannot get vaccines due to medical reasons, download the Statement of Medical Exemption - ISPA form. This form must be completed by a doctor or nurse practitioner.

Conscience or religious exemptions

If your child cannot get vaccines due to conscience or religious beliefs:

1. An in-person immunization education session needs to be completed at the Health Department. Call Durham Health Connection Line to book an appointment.
2. Download the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit - ISPA form. The parent/guardian completing this form must be the same parent/guardian that completed the in-person immunization education session. This form must be signed by a Commissioner of Oaths, such as a lawyer, Member of Parliament or Town Clerk after completing the in-person immunization education session.
3. You must provide the original form to us or to the school office. We will mail the original form back to you after we have processed it.

An Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) exemption can only be submitted for children enrolled in school.

We give up to three vaccines to grade 7 students in school. It is safe for your child to get multiple vaccines at one time.

Grade 7 students can have the following vaccines for free at their school. They are not free through your health care provider:

• Human Papillomavirus (HPV)
• Hepatitis B
• Meningococcal C-ACYW135 (Men C-ACYW135)

Get more information about the grade 7 vaccines.

The school will give a consent package to your grade 7 child at the beginning of the school year. Review this package with your child. Communicate your vaccine wishes by completing all three consent forms and return them to the school.

If you misplace the consent package, you can get additional copies at the school office.

Clinics will be taking place in the fall and spring. Find out the clinic dates for your child's school using the table below. Dates may change throughout the year.

Schedule updated March 18, 2020.

On the clinic day, encourage your child to:

• Eat breakfast and bring a lunch.
• Wear a shirt with loose sleeves.
• Use distractions such as books, music and video games.
• Take slow, deep breaths during immunization.

1. When your child arrives at the clinic, a nurse will greet them and determine which vaccine(s) they will get based on the returned consent forms.
2. Your child will get the vaccine through a very small needle in their upper arm.
3. After the injection, your child will receive record of the immunizations received to take home. The nurses will observe your child in the clinic for 15 minutes.

Watch a video about what to expect at the school vaccine clinic.

If your child missed getting the vaccine(s) at school, he/she may get it at their next school clinic or you can call your school’s immunization nurse.