THUNDER BAY – Thunder Bay-area students who missed Grade 7 vaccinations due to COVID-19 disruptions last year have a chance to catch up.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit has announced it will hold immunization clinics in various locations across the city through September and October for current Grade 8 students.
The health unit says most students who were in Grade 7 during the 2019/2020 school year still require a second dose of both the hepatitis B and HPV vaccines, with some students also needing the meningococcal vaccine if they missed the 2019 clinic.
Clinics are by appointment only. Dates and details on how to schedule an appointment are available on the health unit’s website.
The health unit encourages caregivers of students who received the missing vaccines from their health care provider to report them to ensure the child’s immunization record is up to date.
That can be done through a secure online system known as Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON), also available at the health unit website.
Families without an ICON account should call a nurse at 625-5900 for assistance. Vaccines can also be reported by phone at 625-5900.
Additional catch-up clinics for Grade 7 and high school students are planned for later in the fall and this information will be communicated once details are available.
