Toronto North Local Immigration Partnership
Immunization
Toronto Public Health
November 2013
Overview
1. Importance of Immunization
2. Immunization of School Pupils Act
3. Toronto Public Health Services
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Immunization
Immunization has
saved more lives
than any other
health action in
the last 50 years.
Before vaccines were introduced, smallpox killed
millions, nearly 20,000 were paralyzed by polio, and
rubella (German measles) caused serious birth defects
in about 20,000 newborns.
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How vaccines work
Vaccines boost
your body’s own
natural immune
system to protect
against infection or
disease
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Importance of Immunization
Immunization
builds a circle of
protection for the
community and
protects those who
are vulnerable.
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Importance of Immunization
Babies are at
greater risk for
diseases and
complications
within the first
two years.
It is important to protect your baby as soon
as possible.
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Vaccine Safety
• Vaccine safety is a top priority world-wide
• Immunization is safe
• Public Health Units work with the Public
Health Agency of Canada to monitor the
safety of all vaccines
• Part of our role include monitoring of
adverse events (side effects) following
immunization
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Importance of Immunization
If we stop immunizing, the diseases will
come back. In some cases, these
diseases are just a plane ride away.
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What is different?
Immunization for your child may look very
different from when we were vaccinated
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Ontario Immunization Schedule
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There is an app
• Free smart phone app
• Records vaccination history
• Built-in Ontario
immunization schedule
• Provides reminders &
outbreak notifications
• http://www.immunizeontario.
ca/
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Immunization of School Pupils Act
In Ontario, parents need to
show proof of student
immunization against
diphtheria, tetanus, polio,
measles, mumps, and
rubella or valid exemption
before attending school
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New changes coming….
• Effective July 2014, Immunization of
School Pupils Act will also include
vaccination against:
Meningococcal
pertussis (whooping cough)
varicella (chickenpox)
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Immunization Student Assessment
• every year, Toronto Public Health
assesses over 350,000 students enrolled
in 850 schools.
• 70,000 students are sent a letter of notice
from TPH and about 5,000 students are
suspended.
• majority of these suspensions last less
than five days.
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Did you get one of these?
Doctors do not report student immunization to us!
Student Assessment Process
• TPH sends 3 notices (at 3 week intervals) to
parents of students whose immunization
records are incomplete
• A flyer is enclosed with each mailing, in 26
languages, that reads: “This is an important
health message. Take the attached form to
someone who can read and write English”
• Translations services are available for persons
who call our immunization line
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Notice of suspension
• If vaccination information or a valid
exemption has not been received by the
date on the second notice, a suspension
order is mailed to the student’s parent/
guardian
• There is an additional three-week period
from the mailing of the suspension order to
the first day of suspension
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Additional support
• TPH staff calls the families of students who
remain non-compliant
• Nurses continue to provide support on the first
day of suspension, attending each school where
ten or more students face suspension
• Most students provide the required information
by the first day of suspension
• A suspension order can last up to 20 days but is
rescinded when TPH receives the required
information or an exemption has been filed
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Report vaccination to TPH
Parents need to report their school
age child’s immunization to us:
• online
• by fax
• or mail us a photocopy
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Report your child’s vaccines
Students who are not
up-to-date on their
immunizations can be
suspended
To Avoid Suspension
Toronto Public Health offers:
• free immunization clinics*
• *need to book an appointment online or
call us (interpreters available)
• translation of foreign immunization records
• translated immunization resources
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School Immunization for grade 7
Toronto Public Health offers free hepatitis B
(2 doses) and meningococcal* vaccines to
Grade 7 students through the schools.
HPV vaccine for girls
HPV vaccine prevents some cervical
cancers and genital warts. It is free to
grade 8 and high school girls (3 doses)
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Immunizations for Grade 7 students
Parents of grade 7 & 8
students:
• stay informed
• sign the consent forms
• call us or visit our
website for more
information
• keep a record
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Immunization records
Record is needed for:
• day nursery, kindergarten or camp
• transferring school to another area
• enrolling in college/university
programs or work related health field
• for emergency health care
• travelling to other countries
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Questions?
courtesy of healthpromotiontips.com
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