School-Based Grade 7 Immunization Clinics

The Brant County Health Unit (BCHU) will be returning to all local elementary schools this spring to offer a clinic to Grade 7 and 8 students for publicly funded hepatitis B, human papillomavirus (HPV) and meningitis (Men C-ACYW-135) vaccines. This clinic is for students who are due or overdue for second doses or who have not yet received first doses. The meningitis vaccine requires only one dose, and the hepatitis B and HPV vaccines require two doses.

Please note, if you previously provided consent to BCHU for your child to receive these vaccines during our first dose clinics in Fall 2022 or during a previous school-based clinic or clinic at the health unit, this would have been consent for the vaccine series. You are not required to provide consent again.

Please contact BCHU Vaccine Preventable Disease program at 519-753-4937 ext. 451 to speak to a nurse if:

• You have not previously provided consent but would like your child to receive these vaccines at the school clinic

• You are not sure if you previously provided consent for your child to receive these vaccines

• You previously provided consent for your child to receive these vaccines but would like to withdraw consent

• Your child received these vaccines at a family doctor's office (report atOnline Emunization Reporting Tool)

• There has been any update in your child's health history since you provided consent

• Your child is not attending school in person, but you would like to schedule an appointment at BCHU to receive the vaccines (Please note, you can also follow up with your child's family doctor to receive these vaccines)
  

These vaccines greatly reduce the risk of your child getting sick with these diseases and, in the case of HPV, can prevent certain types of head and neck cancers. They are safe, effective, and recommended as part of Ontario's Routine Immunization Schedule. The meningitis vaccine is required by law for all children, Grade 7 and older, attending school in Ontario, unless otherwise exempted. To ensure that individuals remain safe from vaccine preventable diseases and to maintain a high level of community protection, it is important that routine vaccinations are maintained. Vaccines can prevent illnesses that can lead to hospitalization and significant complications. Vaccines can also prevent outbreaks, which can impact communities and particularly affect more vulnerable populations.  

For more information on each vaccine, please review the Fact Sheets tab below.

If your child has received or is planning to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, please note the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has determined that COVID-19 vaccines may be administered at any time before, any time after, or at the same time as a non-COVID-19 vaccine(s). This includes the vaccines BCHU will be offering during these school clinics. Please note BCHU will not be offering the COVID-19 vaccine during these clinics. To arrange a COVID-19 vaccine for your child, you may visit www.bchu.org/COVID19Vaccines.

Clinics will be scheduled between April 24th and June 9th. To find out when we'll be at your child's school, please review the School Clinic Schedule tab below. Please note, we will be requiring each child to wear a mask within the immunization clinic space. Masks can be provided by BCHU as needed.

For more information, please contact our VPD team at 519-753-4937 ext. 451.