Fraser Health will be taking a closer look at the immunization status of students as well as offering immunizations within school settings.
The health region, in a message to parents this week, noted that in the coming months, FHA staff will check the immunization records on file for children in Kindergarten.
It’s part of B.C.’s Vaccination Status Reporting Regulation that has been in effect since 2019.
FHA will identify children whose records are missing or incomplete and families of those children may be contacted.
The FHA also noted that it will offer immunizations in schools for students in grades 6, 7, 9 and 10, involving immunizations for grades 6 and 9 students from the last school year (20/21) and grade 6 and 9 students from this school year (21/22).
Fraser Health said those immunizations are not for COVID-19 vaccines, but separate COVID-19 clinics are being held at certain schools in the region.
COVID-19 vaccinations are still not available for those under 12, but provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry recently said that, hopefully, vaccination for six-to-11-year-olds will be coming later in the fall. There's no word yet if those vaccinations would be offered at schools.
The health region said its staff will follow COVID-19 safety processes when delivering the other childhood immunizations and interacting with school staff and students.
Prior to immunization, students will be sent home with a personalized consent form.
Families will be asked to review their child’s immunization history on the consent form and if they have additional immunization records, they can submit them to public health at: fraserhealth.ca/immunizationform.
For students in all other grades, which includes grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 11 and 12, families are asked to check their child’s immunization records and provide any missing immunization information required under the regulation.
Parents can use the online Vaccination Status Indicator Tool at https://immunizebc.ca/vaccination-status-indicator to check if their child’s immunization record is incomplete or missing.
Health authority public health units already have immunization information on file for most children, the FHA explains.
If the Vaccine Status Indicator shows that a child’s immunization records are incomplete, this means either public health does not have that child’s records or the child needs additional immunizations.
To report your child’s immunization record you can submit it online at
fraserhealth.ca/immunizationform or fax the record to your local public health unit.
If a child needs additional immunizations, families are asked to call their doctor, a pharmacist or public health to book an appointment.
For more immunization information, visit the FHA website at fraserhealth.ca and search
“child immunizations reporting.”
