NEWS RELEASE
SIMCOE MUSKOKA DISTRICT HEALTH UNIT
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The start of a new school year is a few weeks away and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU) continues to offer vaccination clinics throughout our communities to help children and youth aged 4 to 17 years old to catch up, keep up and stay on track with their publicly funded, routine vaccines before classes begin.
“We want all students to stay healthy during the school year and vaccines are the best line of defence,” says Dr. Colin Lee, associate medical officer of health, SMDHU.
“Ensuring that your child’s immunizations are up to date is an effective way to avoid preventable infections that can cause serious illnesses that spread in the community and at school. We have been seeing an increase in the number of students with whooping cough (pertussis) this year.”
The health unit recommends getting immunized according to the publicly funded immunization schedule for Ontario. Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act requires that students be vaccinated for tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and meningococcal disease, or have a valid exemption.
Parents and caregivers whose children have not received all recommended vaccines for their age or are unsure of which vaccines are needed should speak to their child’s healthcare provider or the health unit as soon as possible. They can help figure out which vaccines children have already had, which ones they still need, and when and where to get them.
Families with school-age children who are eligible or overdue for their routine and publicly funded vaccines and do not have a healthcare provider can book an immunization appointment at one of the health unit offices in Barrie, Collingwood, Cookstown, Gravenhurst, Huntsville, Midland and Orillia.
If a child or youth has already received immunizations through their healthcare provider, parents and caregivers must update their immunization record on file with the health unit online.
For more information about routine and required vaccines given to students and the diseases they prevent, please visit smdhu.org. You can also speak with a public health professional by calling Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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