Report Your Child’s Vaccine Records

Hamilton, ON – August 23, 2016 – As students prepare to head back to school parents are reminded take time to review their child’s vaccines with their doctor, and report their child’s vaccine records to Public Health Services. This coming school year, Public Health Services will review upwards of 54,000 vaccine records for students ages 7 to 14 and 16 years of age, with the goal of screening all Hamilton area students by 2017-2018. “Parents may not realize they need to report vaccines to their local public health unit every time their child receives a vaccination,” says Dr. Jessica Hopkins, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Hamilton Public Health Services. “Public Health Services wants to work together with families to ensure we have complete records so we can safeguard the overall health of our school communities”. Even though a child’s immunizations may be up-to-date, public health records may not be. Reporting vaccine records to public health is the responsibility of parents. Students may be at risk of suspension from school if their vaccine record is not up to date. Letters warning of incomplete records will be mailed out throughout the school year beginning in October. The law requires that all children in Ontario attending school or daycare get vaccines to protect against meningococcal infection, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox) (for children born in 2010 or later), tetanus, poliomyelitis, pertussis (whooping cough) and diphtheria. These vaccines are available free of charge from your primary health care provider. A valid exemption form is required for children who are unable to be vaccinated. Parents unsure of their child’s immunizations should make an appointment with their health care provider to review and update their child’s vaccine record. How to Report Vaccine Records When reporting student vaccine records, you will need your child’s yellow immunization card or a record from their doctor that includes the following information: • Your child’s health card number • Dates your child received vaccines • Vaccine names Hamilton Public Health Services provides a number of ways to report your vaccines: 1. Call to Report: 905-540-5250 from Monday to Friday from 8:30 to 4:30 PM 2. Fax: 905-546-4841 3. Mail: City of Hamilton, Public Health Services, Vaccine Program, P.O. Box 897, Hamilton, Ontario, L8N 3P6 For more information on vaccines and how to report visit www.hamilton.ca/vaccines