School-age children & youth immunization
As children get older, the protection from childhood vaccines can wear off. Children are also at risk of new disease as they enter their pre-teen years. That’s why they need vaccinations too.
Learn about school-age immunizations, mature minor consent and the Vaccine Status Reporting Regulation (VSRR).
As children get older, the protection from childhood vaccines can wear off. Children are also at risk of new disease as they enter their pre-teen years. That’s why they need vaccinations too.
Kindergarten boosters are provided to children starting at 4 years of age.
These immunizations are provided at public health centres not at schools.. Some areas offer immunizations before children enter kindergarten and others offer them in the kindergarten school year. Please check with your local public health centre to arrange for an appointment.
Your child should come to the appointment with a parent or legal guardian. If this is not possible, please talk to the local public health nurse before your appointment to discuss the consent process.
Students in grades 6 and 9 are immunized at school. Parent letters, consent forms and vaccine information are sent home beforehand.
Immunizations are given at school to those students who have returned a completed and signed consent form. Your child will get a record after their immunizations. Keep your child’s immunization record in a safe place. They may need it later for school or travel to other countries.
Students and parents/guardians are encouraged to review the immunization information, discuss it, and together make a decision about immunization. However, parents should be aware that students can make an informed decision regarding immunization regardless of parental consent or refusal. This is referred to as “mature minor consent.” For more information see The Infants Act, Mature Minor Consent and Immunization HealthLinkBC File.
Some students can be nervous about getting a needle. The CARD™ System (C-Comfort, A-Ask, R-Relax, D-Distract) can help make it a more positive experience for students. This method teaches students about coping skills they can use during the procedure. Learn more about the CARD™ System at cardsystem.ca or reviewing Improving the vaccination experience: What is CARD for parents and caregivers.
How can you help your student to prepare before vaccination/immunization day? Suggestions are:
Visit ImmunizeBC's webpage to learn how to reduce pain, stress, and anxiety with vaccinations.
All B.C. students are required to have their complete immunization record in the Provincial Immunization Registry. This applies to children from kindergarten to grade 12, in public and independent schools, and those who are home-schooled.
Please check your child’s immunization records to ensure they are complete. Use the online Vaccination Status Indicator tool to see if your child’s immunization records are on file with public health. The tool will not provide any details about their immunization status or history.
Parents can check their child’s immunization history using the online Vaccination Status Indicator tool to see if their child’s immunization records are on file with public health. This tool does not provide any details about their immunization status or history.
You can provide your child’s immunization record to the B.C. Provincial Immunization Registry at www.immunizationrecord.gov.bc.ca,
If you don’t have your child’s immunization record, ImmunizeBC’s Tips for Locating Immunization Records.
If you don’t provide your child’s immunization record, they will be noted as unimmunized in the provincial registry. If there is an outbreak of a disease that is vaccine preventable at your child’s school, your child may need to stay home until it is safe to return. This helps protect your child from getting sick and spreading the disease to others - including children who cannot be immunized due to medical reasons.
Refusals are noted in the registry. However, your health-care provider may contact you to offer refused vaccines again. Sometimes parents change their minds and decide to immunize for different reasons. Mature minors are able to consent to vaccines on their own, even if the parent has refused.
Children in kindergarten can receive any missing immunizations at the same time as their kindergarten shot at their local public health centre. Call to book an appointment.
Children in grades 6 and 9 will be offered any missing vaccines through school-based immunization clinics.
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