Immunization

Immunizations protect our community against many serious diseases.

We offer immunization clinics for the following:

Routine immunizations

Available to those with no Ontario Health Card, no family doctor or difficulty accessing their family doctor

We also hold immunization clinics in schools during October and May for Grade 7 students for:

Meningitis (required to attend school as per the Immunization of School Pupils Act )
Hepatitis B
Human Papillomavirus

Check Ontario's publicly funded immunization schedule to see when you and your family members should be immunized.

Missed Immunizations

Any missed vaccinations should be received as soon as possible. If an immunization is missed, the entire vaccine series does not need to be repeated.

Student Requirements/Suspensions

The Health Unit is mandated to enforce the Immunization of School Pupils Act, and assess the immunization status of children in accordance with the Immunization for Children in Schools and Licensed Child Care Settings Protocol, 2018.

Students 4 to 17 years old may be suspended from school if the Health Unit does not have a record of immunization against these diseases:

Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Meningitis (meningococcal disease) (age 1 AND Grade 7 booster)

You can also visit our Vaccine Fact Sheets page to learn more about the required vaccines.

In order to avoid school suspensions, review your child's immunization record (Yellow Card) or contact your healthcare provider to see if immunizations and records are up to date. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring immunization records are submitted to the Health Unit.

Please click here for instructions on how to View and Submit Immunization Records

If your child is missing one or more required immunizations, you can arrange for catch up immunization through your child's health care provider or contact the health unit to book an appointment.

Resources

Child Care Requirements

Children who attend a child care centre must be immunized against the following diseases, or have a valid exemption:

Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Meningitis (meningococcal disease)
Varicella (chicken pox) (for children born in 2010 and later)
Haemophilus influenzae type b (hib)
Rotavirus
Pneumococcal

You can also visit our Vaccine Fact Sheets page to learn more about the required vaccines.

Resources

Child Care and Early Years Act

View and Submit Immunizations

Parents of children under 18 who attend a child care centre or school are responsible for letting the Health Unit know every time their child gets a vaccine.

To update the Health Unit's records, you have several convenient options to report the missing information:

Online (Have the immunization record nearby)
Phone: 519-753-4937 ext. 451
Fax: 519-753-2140
Mail/In person: 194 Terrace Hill St., Brantford, ON N3R 1G7
Drop box: Located outside east entrance door (Terrace Hill Street and McMurray Street) (drop off copy of yellow card/immunization record or printout of immunization record)

When reporting immunizations to the Brant County Health Unit, always include:

Correct spelling of child’s name
Date of birth
Healthcard number
Parent/Guardian name and daytime phone number
Name of vaccine given and date received
Family doctor’s name and phone number (if applicable)

Immunization Exemptions

IMPORTANT: The following information is not applicable to COVID-19 immunization exemptions. BCHU cannot provide exemptions related to specific activities, organizations or sports associations that require a COVID-19 vaccine in order to participate.

Medical Exemptions
If your child is unable to be immunized for a medical reason or immunization is unnecessary because your child has evidence of immunity, have your doctor or nurse practitioner complete a Medical Exemption form and submit it to the Health Unit.

Other Exemptions
If you choose not to vaccinate your child, be aware:

Your child may expose people with weaker immune systems to diseases that can make them very sick (e.g. newborns, cancer patients, older adults).
Your child is at risk of becoming very sick.
If there's an outbreak at your child's school, the Medical Officer of Health may order your child not to attend school until the outbreak ends.

Children Attending Daycare
To exempt your child from immunizations for conscientious or religious reasons, you must fill out an exemption form, have the form signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario and return original to the Health Unit. A copy of the exemption must also be provided to the daycare facility.

Children Attending Elementary or High School
To exempt your child for conscientious or religious reasons, starting September 1, 2017, you must:

1. Complete an education session at the Health Unit. Book an appointment by calling 519-753-4937 ext. 451. This session covers:

Basic information about immunization
Vaccine safety
Immunization and community health
Immunization law in Ontario

Once complete, you will be provided a Vaccine Education Certificate.

2. Complete Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and get it signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
Persons authorized to sign affidavits for exemptions include:

Clerk, deputy clerk, or treasurer of local municipality
Administrative head (building standards, welfare, assessment or planning)
Head of municipal council
Member of city council
Reeve or deputy reeve of town
Provincial judge or justice of the peace
Lawyer

3. Present your original signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and Vaccine Education Certificate to the Health Unit. It is your responsibility to keep these documents for future reference.