Immunizations and Vaccines
Report your child's immunizations
Every time a child is immunized by a health care provider, parents and/or guardians must report it to Durham Region Health Department. Please attach a photo of the immunization record.
Please do not report immunizations received at school or clinics that were provided by Durham Region Health Department. These will be automatically entered by Health Department staff.
Learn more about reporting immunizations online.
Durham Region has many services to help you and your family stay up to date for vaccines. It is important to report your child's vaccine updates to the Health Department.
What is immunization?
Immunization is the process where a person becomes protected or resistant to a disease, by receiving a vaccine. Vaccines stimulate the body’s own immune system to prevent a person from getting an infection or disease altogether, or by making the illness less severe.
Immunization is a proven tool preventing life-threatening infectious diseases. It is estimated that immunizations stop between two and three million deaths each year. Immunizations are one of the most cost-effective health investments that do not require any major lifestyle change, and protects those who are most vulnerable.
| Where can I get more information? |
| Scarborough Health Network VaxFacts Clinic Learn more about vaccines and discuss any questions or concerns you may have with expert doctors. Book an appointment for a telephone consultation available in more than 200 languages. |
When to immunize
It is important to follow the Ontario Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule. The schedule was made based on science. The schedule is safe and protects infants and young children early in life before they are potentially exposed to diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. There are no known benefits to delaying vaccines or following different immunization schedules. Delaying immunizations leaves your child at risk of getting diseases that can be prevented by immunizations.
Immunization laws
In Ontario there are two laws: the Child Care Early Years Act and the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Under these laws, the Durham Region Health Department must collect and keep up-to-date immunization records for every child registered in licensed child care and school, until the age of 18 years.
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