Importance
Vaccines prepare the body to fight illness before getting sick by building the body’s natural immunity to a disease. This helps to protect children from illness and the spread of disease. Public Health works with the community to build a layer of protection in daycares and schools, helping ensure children and workers stay safe. To create this layer of protection, Public Health urges parents/guardians to follow Ontario’s vaccination schedule for:
• Babies and Toddlers
• Children at School
• Ontario’s routine immunization schedule
Reporting
By law, it is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to report all immunizations to Lambton Public Health. To learn more about how to access immunization records, reporting steps, and the exemption process, visit our Immunization Reporting page.
Requirements for School Attendance
Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), parents/guardians of children attending public or private elementary and secondary schools must provide public health with proof of their child’s immunization (or exemption) against specific diseases, including Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningococcal disease, Pertussis (whooping cough), and Varicella (chickenpox for children born in 2010 or later).
Students who do not have up-to-date immunization records on file at their local public health unit may be suspended from school until records are provided. A child who is not vaccinated may be excluded from school due to an outbreak or an immediate risk of an outbreak of a designated disease (regardless of legal exemption).
See Ontario’s School Immunization Checklist for more information.
Requirements for Daycare Attendance
Ontario’s Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) states that a child care centre must ensure that all children in their centre have completed immunizations appropriate to their age (or provided exemption) prior to admission, a record of immunization must be kept as part of each child’s record. Parents/guardians are to submit records to their child care centre and also report immunizations to Lambton Public Health.
A child who is not vaccinated may be excluded from daycare due to an outbreak or an immediate risk of an outbreak of a designated disease (regardless of legal exemption).
Where to get Vaccinated
If your child requires routine vaccines, please contact their healthcare provider, your local pharmacy, or visit our immunization clinics page for more information.
Additional Resources
If your child requires routine vaccines, please contact their healthcare provider, your local pharmacy, or visit our immunization clinics page for more information.
• School Immunization Checklist
• Ontario’s Routine Immunization Schedule
• Grade 7 School Vaccines Fact Sheet
• Grade 7 School Vaccines FAQ
• Online Grade 7 Immunization Consent Form
• Reporting Immunizations
• HPV Video
• HPV: What Teens Need to Know
• HEP B: Video
• Meningococcal: Video
Grade 7 Consent
Avoid the risk of suspension and view information related to Grade 7 Consent and immunizations clinics.
Vaccine Fact Sheet
Staying informed and up to date with vaccinations continues to be the best defense against influenza.