Toronto Public Health kicks off #VAXToClass student immunization clinics

#VAXToClass student immunization clinics campaign poster

Starting today, Toronto Public Health’s (TPH) #VAXToClass campaign returns to bring lifesaving school-based vaccines back to grade 7 and 8 classrooms. Parents and students will receive information about clinic opportunities and consent forms directly from their children’s schools.

Free and safe Meningococcal vaccines (that prevent meningitis), Human Papillomavirus vaccines (that prevent cancers) and Hepatitis B vaccines (that prevent liver disease and cancer) are routinely offered in schools to grade 7 and 8 students. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many students did not receive these vaccines.

Last summer, TPH identified serious cases of meningococcal C infection among young adults who were not vaccinated. These cases highlight the need for vaccination to protect against ongoing risk of infection.

In Ontario, the Immunization of School Pupils Act requires all students to be up-to-date with their Meningococcal vaccine or have a valid exemption: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90i01. The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends the Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus vaccines for adolescents.

In addition to the #VAXToClass campaign, to help students in grades 9 to 12 catch up on vaccinations, TPH offers the three school-based vaccines in all of the City’s six fixed-site immunization clinics. A health card is not required. Book appointments for these school-based vaccines at www.TPHBookings.ca.

Children can also be immunized by their primary health care provider who can order these vaccines from TPH. Parents and caregivers of Toronto school-aged children who are not vaccinated by TPH must provide their child’s vaccination information to TPH. Information on how to report children’s vaccination information is available on the Report Student Immunization webpage:  https://www.toronto.ca/community-people/health-wellness-care/health-programs-advice/immunization/get-immunized-children-youth/report-student-immunization/.

SOURCE City of Toronto

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