Catch Up Vaccination Clinics for High School Students Coming to a School Near You!
Written by admin, January 26, 2015
January 26, 2015 – Parents Reminded to Inform Public Health of Updated Immunization Records to Avoid Their Child’s Suspension from School
Public Health Nurses from Peterborough Public Health will be out in full force over the coming weeks offering high school students catch up vaccinations to prevent the spread of several serious diseases.
All three vaccines are safe, effective, free, and highly recommended. In fact, the meningococcal vaccine is mandatory to prevent student suspension from school according to the Immunization of School Pupils Act.
“These free catch up clinics in the schools make it easy for parents to ensure their children are fully protected against these dangerous diseases,” said Dr. Rosana Salvaterra, Medical Officer of Health. “We’re hoping parents will watch for the consent forms coming home soon and return them so our nurses can give their children these important vaccinations, and avoid a trip to the doctor to get immunized.”
The meningococcal vaccine protects against four strains of the disease compared to earlier types of the vaccine children that only offered protection against one strain. Starting in the 2014-15 school year, students need to have proof of immunization with Men-C-ACYW-135 vaccine, or a valid exemption, to attend school in Ontario. Students only need one dose for full protection.
Students will also be offered the vaccine that protects them from hepatitis B, a sometimes incurable disease that can cause permanent liver damage. In addition, female students are eligible to receive the HPV vaccine for free, which is the only vaccine known to protect against certain types of cervical cancer.
These catch up clinics are being offered to high school students who missed these vaccines in grades 7 and 8. They start February 17 and will run until mid-March. To find out when nurses are coming to your teenager’s school, please visit www.peterboroughpublichealth.ca and under “Clinics & Classes”, click on “Immunization Clinics” where there is a specific section for “School Immunization Clinics”.
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For further information, please contact:
Brittany Cadence
Communications Supervisor
705-743-1000, ext. 391