Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Feb. 23, 2023

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is joining organizations across the country promoting National Kids and Vaccines Day today. Led by Children’s Healthcare Canada (CHC) and ScienceUpFirst, the day aims to remind families of the importance of childhood vaccines, and respond to misinformation about vaccine safety and effectiveness that has caused a dangerous reduction in the rate of vaccinated children in Canada.

“Routine vaccinations are critical to protect children against a wide range of diseases,” says Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH. “The data shows a worrisome number of Canadian children are not receiving vaccines that protect against many of the diseases that have not been seen in children for decades, such as Measles, Polio, and Hepatitis B. This is concerning as low vaccination rates increase the risk of these diseases for everyone. I encourage families to speak with their health care provider, visit the HPEPH website or participate in the Kids and Vaccines Town Hall to learn about the benefits and safety of routine immunization.”

The pandemic has created several barriers to keeping up with routine healthcare needs including childhood immunizations.

• Recent data from Public Health Ontario shows:
  • Only 6% of 12-year-olds in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties (HPEC) were vaccinated against Hepatitis B in the 2020 to 2021 school year, compared to 78% in the 2018 to 2019 school year (the most recent school year unaffected by COVID-19).
  • Vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) in HPEC plunged to 1% in 2021, compared with 67% in 2019.
  • Meningococcal vaccines in Ontario fell to about 9% in 2021 from 92% in 2019.

The data across Ontario shows a similar decline; children and youth are not being protected against many of the diseases that have been successfully avoided for decades due to the effectiveness of vaccines.

Routine Immunization Clinics

HPEPH is holding weekly routine immunization clinics for children, youth and adults. As access to routine health care has been challenging at times throughout the pandemic, individuals are encouraged to check the publicly funded immunization schedule to ensure that they, and their children, are up to date with necessary vaccines. You can also check your immunization records using ICON, Ontario’s secure online immunization records website.

Many vaccines outlined in the routine vaccination schedule are also required to attend school or childcare (or a notarized exemption) as outlined in the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). Families whose children’s vaccines are not up to date have been contacted by public health and we are working closely with schools to provide convenient access to vaccination to get kids caught up. Parents/caregivers are reminded that it is their responsibility to update their child’s vaccination record with public health.

Learn more about routine immunization and book an appointment at hpePublicHealth.ca/clinic/immunization-clinic.

National Kids and Vaccines Town Hall

To bring attention to National Kids and Vaccines Day, ScienceUpFirst and Children’s Healthcare Canada are hosting a free national Kids and Vaccines Town Hall via Zoom on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. This live event will answer questions from parents, caregivers and educators about the importance and safety of routine vaccinations, including how Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are an important, safe and effective method to combat these viral infections, especially in light of the current crisis in children’s healthcare.

To register and learn more visit ScienceUpFirst.com/kids-vaccines-day.

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Media Contacts:

Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
hyland.maureen@hpeph.ca

Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca

About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. HPEPH is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

We invite community partners and residents to share this Media Release with their respective networks.