Vaccines & Immunizations
School Vaccine Clinics
Contact Us
For vaccine program information, including booking, records and nurse Infoline
Call 905-540-5250
Routine Vaccine Clinics
Book an appointment
Hamilton Public Health Services is offering a Community Vaccine Clinic for school-aged children to catch-up on their vaccines from Monday December 16 to Thursday December 19 at Jackson Square.
Nurses from Hamilton Public Health will be visiting elementary schools to offer free vaccinations to grade 7 students. Nurses will be offering Hepatitis B, Meningitis and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccinations.
Please complete the consent form (version francaise) sent home with your grade 7 student and return to the school. If you did not receive a consent form please call 905-540-5250 to speak with a nurse.
Fait sur la vaccination scolaire
Are vaccines safe?
Vaccines go through years of testing before they become publicly available. Vaccines are carefully monitored from the time they are created to after the vaccine is given. It is safe to give multiple vaccines at one time and studies have shown there is no increase in side effects. It is worse to get the disease than the vaccine. If a vaccine in considered unsafe, the vaccine is then pulled from the market1.
What are the side effects of vaccines?
The most common side effects are tiredness, pain, redness and swelling where the vaccine was given2. Serious reactions to vaccines are very rare. When they do occur, they are reported to Public Health and tracked by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
Are vaccines free?
The Hepatitis B vaccine is free of charge for all students up to grade 8. If you decide to wait to vaccinate your child with HPV, the total cost of the vaccine is about $450. The vaccines are not free at your doctor’s office without a valid medical reason. This does not include anxiety over needles
What happens if my child is absent on the day the school is offering vaccines?
If you child is not able to attend school on the day that the nurses from Public Health are there to administer the vaccines, there are other options. Public Health visits each school 2 times per school year; once in the Fall and once in the Spring. If your child has missed the first day the vaccines were offered at their school, they can receive them the next time. If your child misses all of the times the vaccines are offered, they can receive them from their Family Doctor, or visit our routine clinic to get caught up.
How can I prepare my child?
- Talk to your child about the vaccine(s)
- Review helpful ways to deal with fear or anxiety (look away, listen to music, watch a video etc.)
- Make sure your child eats on clinic day
- Make sure your child wears a short sleeve shirt on clinic day
What if I decide not to vaccinate?
The Men-C-ACYW135 vaccine is required by law (Immunization of School Pupils Act, 1990). If your child does not receive the vaccine, and does not have a valid exemption, they could be suspended11. The Hepatitis B and HPV vaccines are not required by law (Immunization of School Pupils Act, 1990) but are highly recommended11.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding vaccines, please call Public Health Services to speak to a nurse at 905-540-5250.
1 National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Canadian Immunization Guide (Evergreen Edition). Part 2 Vaccine Safety. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2016.
2 National Advisory Committee on Immunization. Canadian Immunization Guide (Evergreen Edition). Part 4 Active Vaccines: Meningococcal Vaccine. Ottawa: Public Health Agency of Canada; 2016.
11 Immunization of School Pupils Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.1. (Online). Toronto: Government of Ontario; 2019.
School Vaccination
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Students can still catch-up on the second doses of both Hepatitis B and HPV. The second dose is recommended to be given a minimum of six months after the first dose, however having a longer than recommended interval between vaccine doses will still provide the same immunity. No students will need to start their vaccine doses over.
Hamilton Public Health Nurses visits Private and French Board schools if their grade 7 class has more than 10 students registered. If you attend a Private or French Board school that does not have a scheduled vaccination clinic, please book and appointment with us at our routine clinic or speak with your family health care provider about obtaining these vaccinations. If you have any questions, please call 905-540-5250 to speak with a nurse.
Yes, you will need to book an appointment to receive your vaccines.
You can book an appointment online or call 905-540-5250 to book an appointment over the phone.
If you are unable to attend the scheduled vaccine catch-up clinics, you may be able to receive the vaccines through your family doctor.
Yes, many health care providers can provide Hepatitis B, HPV and Meningococcal ACYW-135 vaccines. They are provincially funded and free of charge, however, these vaccines will have to be ordered for your child, so please contact your health care provider if you are interested in this option. If the vaccines were received through your family doctor, it is very important that these are reported to public health.
If you are unsure if your child has received Hepatitis B, Meningococcal or HPV vaccinations, contact your health care provider and/or check online. Vaccinations that were not administered at a public health clinic and not reported to public health will not show on the record.
It is very important that you report any vaccines received to public health. If your doctor or health care provider administered the vaccine, please report the vaccines received online.
If an individual received their first dose at their family doctors or health care providers office and would like a second dose, they can receive a second dose at this vaccine clinic. However, they must update their records online or bring proof of vaccine with them to their appointment.
Hamilton Public Health works with the Ministry of Health on the enforcement of mandatory vaccines under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). Resuming in 2024, students who do not have up-to-date vaccinations, vaccine records on file or a valid exemption may be suspended from school. For more information visit Vaccines & Children
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