By India Blooms News Service Feb 24, 2023
Toronto/IBNS: Opportunities continued to be provided for Toronto students by Toronto Public Health (TPH) to catch up on life-saving vaccines they may have missed during the COVID-19 pandemic, a news release said Thursday on the second annual National Kids and Vaccines Day.
More than 700 doses have already been administered in the first week across TPHs six fixed-site clinics to help children and youth catch up on all critical vaccinations.
Public Health Ontarios recent data shows dramatic decreases in vaccination coverage among 12-year-olds for vaccines routinely offered in school.
Immunizations for all nine childrens vaccines including diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, pertussis (whooping cough) and varicella (chickenpox) required under Ontarios Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) can be booked by parents and guardians of children from four to 17 years of age (junior kindergarten to grade 12).
Routine childhood vaccines are usually received through a familys primary care provider.
Vaccines for human papillomavirus, meningococcal disease and hepatitis B can also be accessed by students in grades 7 to 12 at the TPH immunization clinics.
OHIP card is not required for children to receive these free vaccines.
Accommodation for walk-ins is based on capacity and appointments are preferred which can be made online through TPHs appointment booking system.
Families without a regular medical provider can seek help from Health Care Connect Ontario.
In addition, all six city-run immunization clinics COVID-19 and MPOX vaccines to eligible residents five years of age and older.
Selected mobile clinics offer COVID-19 vaccines to children six months and older. Appointments are not necessary for mobile clinics.
To ensure vaccination opportunities reach the citys most vulnerable, city-run and mobile immunization clinics operate across Toronto with a hyper-local, equity-focused strategy.
City-run and mobile immunization clinics are standardizing their hours to better respond to changing community needs and serve residents and operate from Tuesdays through Fridays from noon to 6 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
City-run and mobile immunization clinics will be closed on Sundays and Mondays.
According to Ontarios ISPA requirement, parents are asked to submit records of their childs routine childhood vaccines or a valid exemption. These vaccination records can be submitted to TPH using ICON (Immunization Connect Ontario), a secure provincial online system.
(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)