Alberta Health Services has made changes to the School Immunization Program that will take effect in the 2018-19 school year. Important messages for parents include:

• In the 2018-19 school year, public health nurses will be reviewing the immunization records of all Alberta students from Grades 1 to 9 to assess immunization status. You will be contacted if your children are missing immunization information.
• With your consent, your children can be offered the immunizations they are missing at school. You will continue to have the final decision on immunizing your children.
• In 2019-20, Alberta is moving from a three-dose vaccine schedule in Grade 5 to a two-dose vaccine schedule in Grade 6 for both Hepatitis B (HBV) and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines. Administering two doses at least six months apart has been shown to provide children with good protection against these diseases. This will reduce the number of injections children receive.
• The Grade 9 school immunization program including the diphtheria, tetanus and acellular pertussis (dTap) and Meningococcal (MenC-ACYW) vaccines will continue to be offered without change.
• Alberta Health Services, Public Health will work closely with schools and school authorities to ensure that immunization does not interfere with students taking the Provincial Achievement Tests.
• Alberta Health encourages parents to immunize their children against HPV and HBV. Vaccines are safe and effective, and protect our children and communities from disease.

This information has been shared with our schools. For more information, parents can call Health Link at 811.