Dr. Bonnie Henry, British Columbia’s provincial health officer, has issued the following statement to make sure children in B.C. are up to date on all their vaccines as part of back-to-school preparations:

“As the summer holidays draw to a close, many families are starting to think about their back-to-school tasks. Buy school supplies. Take their children for haircuts. Help their kids pick out the perfect outfit for the first day of school.

“This year, I’m urging you to add another important item to your to-do list: Ensure that your children are up to date on their routine vaccinations and they get vaccinated against common illnesses, such as measles, mumps and rubella, polio, pertussis (whooping cough) and chickenpox.

“August is the perfect time to take your children for any outstanding vaccines. As kids start or return to child care or school, they’ll be interacting with many friends, caregivers and teachers, increasing their chances of being exposed to these and other infectious diseases. And we know respiratory-illness season will soon be here, bringing COVID-19, influenza and other viruses.

“Getting your children vaccinated is the best way to protect them from vaccine-preventable illnesses that can cause serious illness, long-term disability and even death.

“Children six and under are eligible for free vaccines to protect them from more than a dozen diseases, such as COVID-19, influenza, polio, measles and chickenpox. We also provide children with free vaccines at school clinics beginning in Grade 6, including the human papillomavirus and meningitis vaccines, and booster doses of vaccines they received in early childhood.

“To get your infant or young child vaccinated, visit HealthLinkBC for full details. You can book an appointment at a health unit or at your doctor’s or nurse practitioner’s office if they do immunizations. If your child is older than five, you can also book an appointment to get them vaccinated at some pharmacies.

“School-aged children and teens typically receive their vaccines at clinics held at schools. However, they can also get vaccinated at health units, some doctors’ and nurse practitioners’ offices and some pharmacies.

“As many young adults begin mixing in new social groups this fall, pursue post-secondary opportunities or move into campus housing, vaccines against influenza and meningitis are recommended, along with an updated dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

“I encourage everyone to visit HealthLinkBC for more information about childhood and young adult vaccines, and use the online tool to find a health unit close to home. You can also see your children's immunization schedule via HealthLinkBC or view immunization records through the Health Gateway.

“Whether the young people in your life are infants or young adults, now is the time to protect them through immunizations. Just like packing healthy lunches for your kids and encouraging them to get enough exercise and sleep, getting them vaccinated is one of the most important things you can do to help them have a happy and healthy school year.”

Learn More:

Unsure which vaccines your child is due for? You can check their immunization records through the Health Gateway: https://www.healthgateway.gov.bc.ca/

To learn more about COVID-19 vaccines for children, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/children

View your children’s immunization schedule: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/childhoodvaccines

For people who notice a record is missing, they can update records here: https://immunizationrecord.gov.bc.ca/

Register for a COVID-19 vaccine through the provincial Get Vaccinated system at: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/covid-19/vaccine/register  
After you do so, you’ll receive an invitation to book an appointment at a child-friendly clinic in your community.

Learn more about the provincial immunization program: https://immunizebc.ca/