It’s extremely important and beneficial for parents and guardians to keep accurate, up-to-date vaccination records.
Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) has been developed so parents and guardians can easily access and update their child’s immunization card.
There are many advantages to using this tool, which is essentially an online alternative to paper immunization records. It allows you to securely keep track of your family’s immunization records*, whenever and wherever you need them.
For example, if your child is planning to travel to certain foreign countries, enroll in certain programs, pursue post-secondary studies, volunteer, or seek certain employment opportunities, their immunization record will likely be needed to complete the necessary paperwork or applications.
Grey Bruce Public Health has developed a how-to document for submitting immunization information to ICON. Using Icon
*ICON is used to maintain immunization records for children up to 18 years of age.
Access & Update your Immunization Card
Covid-19 Information
Vaccine Clinic Schedule
Vaccine hesitancy is an increasingly important and challenging topic for healthcare professionals.
Routine vaccines are safe and effective against many preventable diseases. Globally, 1 in 5 children do not receive routine life-saving immunizations, and approximately 1.5 million children lose their lives each year from diseases that could be easily prevented by vaccines that already exist, according to the WHO.
The simple truth is: vaccines are safe, effective, well-researched, and accessible in Canada. They help prevent outbreaks of preventable diseases that can have devastating effects on our society. Vaccines protect the most vulnerable in our communities, such as immuno-compromised individuals, young children, and the elderly.
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NACI makes recommendations for the use of vaccines currently or newly approved for use in humans in Canada, including the identification of groups at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases for whom vaccination should be targeted. NACI knowledge syntheses, analyses, and recommendations on vaccine use in Canada are published in literature reviews, statements, and updates.
New statements are those which have been published within the past five years. Previous statements are those which are were published over five years ago and have been archived.
NACI recommendations are also published in vaccine-specific chapters of the Canadian Immunization Guide.
Adult records: Public health does NOT maintain immunization records for adults. Please do not report immunizations for adults. If you are looking for an immunization record for an adult, public health may have some childhood records on file for adults born on or after 1990. Check ICON (see instructions below). If the record is not found in ICON, check with your doctor/NP to get any records that they have, or to book an appointment with them for any missing immunizations. Child/Student (up to age 18 yrs.) records: Check ICON (see instructions below). The record shows all immunizations that have been reported to public health. If immunization(s) have not been reported to public health, they will not be in this record. You may need to follow up with your doctor/NP to get that missing information.
Public health is required by law to review all students’ immunization records and make sure they are up to date. If you received a letter from public health, it means that your child’s immunization record in our provincial database is not up to date.
The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). This review and updating of immunization records are done to help ensure students and the community are protected from vaccine preventable diseases and to help health units be able to respond to any outbreaks of disease that may occur.
This review is usually done every year. COVID-19 activity over the past few years put a temporary hold on this work, but the review of immunization records has now resumed. Public health is working hard to catch up on this important work, to help students and communities stay safe.
Please don’t feel bad about receiving a letter. You are one of the thousands of parents across Grey and Bruce Counties to receive one. It is simply a process that the health unit must do, by law, to inform parents of immunization information that is missing in their child’s provincial record, so that the record can be updated. This review and updating of records are done to help keep students and communities protected from vaccine preventable diseases. COVID-19 activity over the past few years put a temporary hold on this work, but the review of immunization records has now resumed. In the letter you received, choose which scenario applies to your child’s situation, and follow the “Action to Take” for that scenario.
Not always. Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), it remains the responsibility of parents to report all immunizations to public health. Some doctor/nurse practitioner offices report immunizations to public health, but not all of them do. If you received a letter, it means that there is some information missing from your child’s record in our provincial immunization database that needs to be reported.
One of two things may have happened. Either: your child received the immunization(s) but they were not reported to public health (Scenario 1 in the letter), OR your child needs a booster of one or more immunization(s) that they received in the past (Scenario 3 in the letter). In the letter you received, follow the “Action to Take” for the scenario that fits your child’s situation.
Follow the “Action to Take” for Scenario 2 of the letter you received.
As a general rule, you should always report immunizations every time your child receives them. If you received a letter from public health about your child’s immunizations, report them by the deadline shown in the letter – follow the instructions below.
If the immunization history is blank on the back side of the letter, it means that public health does not have any immunizations on record for your child. Follow scenario 1 ‘Action to Take’ in the letter.
When information is submitted, it is verified and then uploaded to the provincial record. This may take up to 5 business days.
Your child remains at risk of school suspension since their immunization record would not be up to date and in compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).
Call public health. 519-376-9420 (press ‘2’ for immunization, then ‘2’ again to reach a nurse). **PLEASE DO NOT call your child’s school. Schools do not lead this process. They will direct you to contact public health, so call us first instead!**
Your Immunization Records: Access and update your immunization records.
Science-based vaccine information: Public Health provides answers to commonly asked questions about vaccine safety and efficacy, separates facts from fiction on the topic of vaccination, and addresses some of the barriers that may be preventing you from getting vaccinated.
Tips to reduce needle fear and anxiety, and needle pain
When and Where: Access information on school immunization clinics, Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules for Ontario, when and where to get the flu shot or COVID-19 vaccine, and more.
Information for Health Professionals
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