Vaccines are especially important for children. You can get your child immunized with your health care provider or at the health unit. Remember to report immunizations to us if your child is immunized by your health care provider.
Ontario’s routine immunization schedule
Check Ontario’s routine immunization schedule to learn about:
- Which vaccines are given in Ontario
- What ages to get them
- The serious diseases vaccines prevent
Child Immunization FAQ
| Why does a child need so many shots? |
| 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. |
| Why does my child need several doses of the same shot? |
| Some vaccines need booster shots to provide full protection. Boosters strengthen immunity by ‘reminding’ your child’s body how to protect itself. |
| How can I make immunization a better experience? |
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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: |
| Why does Public Health review my child’s immunization record? |
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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. |
| Why have I been notified that my child is not up to date with their immunizations? |
| Children must be immunized or have an immunization exemption filed with us in order to go to school or 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). |
| What vaccines are required to attend school in Ontario? |
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These vaccines are required to attend school:
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| What vaccines are required to attend child care in Oxford, Elgin and St. Thomas? |
These immunizations are required to attend child care:
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| What do I do if I am notified that my child’s immunizations are not up-to-date? |
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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. |
| What if I don’t want to vaccinate my child? |
| 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. |
Adult immunizations
You never outgrow the need for immunization. Common vaccines for adults include:
- Influenza (flu)
- Pertussis
- Pneumococcal
- Tetanus
- Shingles
You may need other vaccines depending on your health, what you do for a living, and where you live and travel to.