Children and youth immunizations

As children get older, the protection from infant immunizations can wear off. Children can be at risk of new diseases as they enter kindergarten and in their pre-teen and teen years.

Routine school-age immunizations are free.

Anyone aged six months and older is eligible for the vaccine. Parents can register their children in the Get Vaccinated provincial system to be notified of when they can get vaccinated. The vaccines are free and children do not need BC Care Cards to receive them.

To provide the best protection possible, we recommend that your child be immunized before they enter kindergarten.

The following vaccines are free for children, starting at age four:

• Tdap-IPV (or approved product): protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio.
• MMRV: protects against measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chicken pox).

• All B.C. students are required to have their complete immunization records 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.
• If someone at school has a vaccine-preventable disease, children who are unprotected (not immunized) may be asked to stay home until it is safe to return.
• Some children can not be immunized against certain diseases because of medical conditions. If other non-immunized children bring disease into a school, it can be serious and even deadly for those children.
• Your child could get seriously ill if a vaccine-preventable disease, such as mumps or measles, circulates in a school or community and they do not have immunity. Vaccines are safe and are your child's best protection. You can learn more about vaccine safety and myths about vaccines.

The Tdap-IPV (or approved product) and MMRV vaccines are free and can be provided by your:

• Family doctor
• Pharmacist (for children four years of age and older)
• Local Public Health unit

Students in grade 6 and 9 are immunized by a nurse from public health at school.

Information and consent forms for grade 6 and grade 9 will be sent home at the beginning of the school year. Please complete, sign and return the consent form to your child’s school.

It is recommended and encouraged that parents/guardians discuss consent for immunization with  their children.

B.C.s’ legislated Infant’s Act states that children under the age of 19, can provide consent for health care if the health care provider determines that the child is capable of making this decision. This is called mature minor consent and includes providing consent for immunizations.

Although there is no set age when a child can give mature minor consent for immunizations, in most circumstances nurses working in Public Health in B.C. will get consent from the parents/guardians of children in grade 6. However, nurses working in public health in B.C. will offer mature minor consent as an option for grade 9 students who are able to understand the benefits and possible reactions (side effects) for each vaccine and the risk of not getting immunized.

We Can Be the First - ImmunizeBC and HPV

Immunization schedules are often different from country to country. As a New Canadian there may be free vaccines that your child needs. Talk with your doctor or a nurse from your local public health unit to find out what vaccines your child may be missing.

Different chronic health conditions can put your child at risk for different vaccine preventable diseases. Talk with your doctor or a nurse from your local public health unit to find out what vaccines your child may need.

Residents of Fraser East (Mission, Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Agassiz and Hope), call 604-702-4906

Residents in any other area of Fraser Health, call 604-476-7087 

Hours of operation: Monday to Friday (8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

Note: When making an appointment with Public Health, you will be offered a text message reminder through the ImmunizeBC text message reminder system. 

There is no need to delay getting your child immunized because of a cold or other mild illness. For more serious illnesses, check with your health care provider prior to your appointment.

Tell your child that immunizations are part of keeping healthy. Be positive and talk ahead of time about what to expect. Bring a book or toy to distract them during their immunization. Learn other helpful tips to make your child’s immunization experience a positive one. 

Learn how to get a copy of your child's immunization records.

Keep your child’s immunization record in a safe place. They may need it later for school, to travel to other countries or to take to hospital in case of an emergency.

If your child’s immunization record is lost, contact Public Health for a copy of their records and record it on an immunization card.

Know what's next on your vaccine schedule by: