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Immunization through vaccination, is a public health initiative to prevent illness, disability and death from vaccine preventable diseases. High immunization coverage is essential for the effective prevention and control of vaccine preventable diseases (e.g., measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio).
Vaccinations are provided as part of publicly funded health care in Ontario. Ontario has an annual universal influenza immunization program to offer vaccination against seasonal influenza. In addition, vaccines against common serogroups of invasive meningococcal disease, invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilis influenza are part of the publicly funded immunization schedule.
State of Ottawa's Health Report, 2023
This report is a resource for OPH and health partners to help plan or enhance programs and services, identify strategic priorities, identify gaps, and monitor changes in the health of people living in Ottawa. This report also fulfills the requirement for public health units to assess and report on population health, as stipulated in the Ontario Public Health Standards.
Immunization Surveillance by School
Each year, the immunization records of Ottawa school students are assessed by Ottawa Public Health’s Immunization program for compliance with the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). Parents are responsible for reporting their child(ren)’s immunization records to Ottawa Public Health. Based on this reported information parents are notified if their child(ren) do not have the required vaccinations for their age according to ISPA or a valid exemption on record. Post-surveillance vaccination coverage and philosophical exemption rates by Ottawa school are used to help tailor support to school boards, schools, parents/guardians, and others to ensure their child is up-to-date for all relevant ISPA vaccines for their age.
[1] Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Immunization coverage report for school pupils: 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 school years. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2017.
[2] Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Immunization coverage report for school pupils in Ontario: 2016-17 school year. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2018.
[3] Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Immunization coverage report for school pupils in Ontario: 2017–18 school year. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2019.
[4] Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Immunization coverage report for school pupils in Ontario: 2018–19 school year. Toronto, ON: Queen’s Printer for Ontario; 2020.
[5] Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Immunization coverage report for school pupils in Ontario: 2019-20 to 2022-23 school years. Toronto, ON: King's Printer for Ontario; 2024.
[6] Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (Public Health Ontario). Technical appendix: immunization coverage report for school pupils in Ontario: 2019-20 to 2022-23 school years. Toronto, ON: King's Printer for Ontario; 2024.
[7] Ottawa Public Health. State of Ottawa’s Health: 2023 Report. Ottawa (ON): Ottawa Public Health; 2023.
[8] Government of Canada. Vaccination Coverage Goals and Vaccine Preventable Disease Reduction Targets by 2025. Last modified 2022-08-16
[9] Ontario Ministry of Health. Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP). Last accessed September 20, 2024.
[10] Statistics Canada. Canadian Health Survey of Children and Youth. 2019.
[11] Ottawa Public Health. Rapid Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2013-2024.
[12] Data extracted by OPH from the Digital Health Immunization Repository (DHIR) as of Aug. 6, 2024.
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