Back to SearchNORTH BAY, ON – The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit (Health Unit) is required to track vaccinations for students under the Immunization of School Pupils Act. The Health Unit is pleased to announce that vaccine coverage rates for children who were attending a publicly funded school in our district during the 2018/2019 school year were above the provincial average. Results indicate that 97.2 per cent of students born between 2001 and 2011 were fully vaccinated for their age for measles, mumps and rubella and 93.3 per cent were fully vaccinated for diphtheria, tetanus and polio.
Immunization is widely recognized as one of the greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century. Vaccines save lives, prevent the spread of diseases and reduce health care costs. Immunization programs are an important foundation of Ontario’s health system.
“Based on research, we recommend vaccinating your child as the best way to protect them against vaccine preventable diseases,” says Andrea McLellan, Vaccine Preventable Diseases Program Manager.
Each year, Health Unit nurses provide students in grade 7 with access to publicly funded vaccines for Hepatitis B, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Meningococcal disease at school based clinics. Additionally, clinics are held at high schools to ensure access to vaccines required for attendance at school under the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Grade 7 clinics are currently underway. For information on the school clinics, please visit the Health Unit’s website.
Individuals who are unsure about their or their child’s current vaccination status are encouraged to call the Health Unit at 1-800-563-2808 or check your information on line utilizing the Immunization Connect Ontario Tool which can be found at www.myhealthunit.ca/vaccinationrecords and following the links.
Quick Facts
- Some vaccine preventable diseases have limited treatment options, therefore increasing the importance of preventing these diseases through vaccination.
- If you have had a vaccination at your health care provider’s office please ask them to forward the information to the Health Unit. Health care providers might not automatically forward vaccination information to the Health Unit.
- Vaccination records can be reviewed and missing information submitted online at www.myhealthunit.ca/vaccinationrecords utilizing the Immunization Connect Ontario Tool.
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Media Inquiries
Alex McDermid, Public Relations Specialist
P: 705-474-1400, ext. 5221 or 1-800-563-2808
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