Notification: School Routine Immunization Program
Posted on Jan 17, 2024
January 17, 2024
Hello parents, guardians, and caregivers:
Re: School Routine Immunization Program within Alberta Health Services (AHS) South Zone.
AHS reminder phone calls and texts about school routine immunizations (non-COVID) are sent as needed to alert parents, guardians, and caregivers about returning paper consent forms for in-school immunizations, or to alert caregivers about immunization eligibility.
Recently, a “return consent form” reminder phone call and/or text message was sent to families for students ingrade 9 who have not yet returned consent form(s) for the dTap vaccine (i.e., Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis —also known as Whooping Cough) and MenC-ACYW-135 vaccine (i.e., Meningococcal quadrivalent conjugate vaccine, which protects against four types of bacteria that cause meningococcal disease).
Immunizations have begun for some grade 9 students; however, most grade 9 students will be immunized in March 2024. Your child will only be immunized if you have provided written or verbal telephone consent. If your child missed receiving the immunizations at school, the nurse may be returning to the school before the end of the school year as able.
Other routine school immunizations (non-COVID) offered as a reminder:
- Immunizations offered in school in grade 6 for Hepatitis B and Human Papillomavirus vaccine series each year. We have provided first doses to most grade 6 students in fall 2023; for those students whose parent consented for the vaccine(s), the next dose is due in spring 2024.
- Students in grade 1 who have missed the pre-kindergarten routine booster can be updated at your nearest local community health office - please call to book an appointment.
- Children who are homeschooled may obtain routine school-aged immunizations at your nearest local community health office by appointment.
How to obtain routine school immunizations (non-COVID) for your child:
- Sign and return the immunization consent form to your child’s school as soon as possible if you would like your child immunized in the school setting.
- If there is one or more vaccines you do not wish your child to receive, write REFUSED across the vaccine(s) you do not want and return all consent form(s) to the school.
- You may also provide verbal telephone consent to a public health nurse by calling your local community health office.
- Call to book an appointment at your local community health office.
- If you are unsure if your child is due for school routine (non-COVID) immunizations, please ask to speak to a public health nurse.
If you have any questions, please contact your local community health office. To find your community health office, visit: Find Healthcare - Search (albertahealthservices.ca) (Select: ‘Search by Facility Type’, then choose ‘Public Health Centres’, then in ‘Location’ field choose your location).
If you have questions about school routine immunizations or would like to view the routine immunization schedule, please visit ahs.ca/immunize.
Sincerely,
Allison Gonsalves, MD, FRCPC
Medical Office of Health
Alberta Health Services - South Zone
Medical Officers of Health, South Zone
801 1 Avenue South • Lethbridge AB T1J 4L5
www.ahs.ca/moh