Does Public Health have updated immunization records for your child? Find out now!

Public Health Sudbury & Districts is reminding parents and guardians to ensure their children are caught up on immunizations and their records with Public Health are up to date. In support of parents’ and guardians’ efforts, Public Health is continuing to apply the Immunization School Pupils Act (ISPA), ensuring all students from junior kindergarten to grade eight are protected against diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis (whooping cough), and many others. Over the next several weeks, Public Health will be mailing notification letters to all elementary students whose immunization records need to be updated with Public Health.

“We recognize that the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays in routine immunizations. As many students are behind on receiving important vaccinations, we want to give people plenty of time to get their immunizations and records up to date in advance of the 2023-2024 school year,” said Hannah Ballantyne, manager with the Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program with Public Health Sudbury & Districts. “There are about 4700 elementary students enrolled in schools across our service area who will receive a letter. It’s important to get children up to date on vaccines to protect their health and increase overall community protection. Public Health is here to answer any questions to help get kids caught up,” added Ballantyne.

The Immunization School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires all Ontario students under 18 years of age to be up to date with their immunization records to attend school in person. Under the ISPA, Public Health must collect and maintain immunization records for all students under 18 years of age in its service area. Immunizations for school attendance designated under the ISPA are free, safe, and effective, and protect against cases and outbreaks of diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningitis, pertussis, and chickenpox.

In Ontario, parents and guardians are responsible for reporting immunizations for their school-aged children to a public health unit. Health care providers do not automatically report immunizations for their patients. Parents and guardians can consult their health care provider or Public Health Sudbury & Districts to see if their child’s immunizations and records are up to date. A list of Ontario’s publicly funded immunizations that a child can receive free of charge for the best protection is available at ontario.ca.

How to check or update your child’s immunization records

1. CHECK: Check your child’s immunization record for any missing vaccines by visiting Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) (Government of Ontario).
2. VACCINATE: Make an appointment for your child for any missing immunizations with your health care provider or Public Health Sudbury & Districts.
3. UPDATE: Update your child’s immunization record with Public Health Sudbury & Districts using one of the following methods:

• • Visit Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) website (Ontario Government).
  • Call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).
  • Send a fax to 705.522.5182 (confidential).

Parents and guardians should be aware that students whose records remain out of date with Public Health at the start of the 2023-2024 school year could be suspended from school activities. Public health nurses are available to your answer questions by phone, email, and in person. Appointments for immunizations are available at Public Health Sudbury & Districts’ offices during regular business hours. Evening and weekend appointments are currently available at Public Health’s 1300 Paris Street location in Sudbury.

For more information on immunization requirements or exemptions, parents and guardians can call Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 458 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200), email ispa@phsd.ca, or visit phsd.ca.