Immunizations and vaccines

Vaccines are proven to be safe and effective. Vaccines make your immune system stronger by providing long-term protection against preventable disease. Immunizations are provided at all ages over the lifespan starting in infancy and childhood and continue into adulthood. Other reasons to be vaccinated include work, travel, and certain health conditions.

Have questions about vaccines? It is important to learn how to find reliable sources of information and avoid myths about vaccines.

• A Parent’s Guide to Vaccination provides information about vaccines and the diseases they prevent, vaccine safety and where to find more information.
• Vaccines: Common concerns by the Canadian Paediatric Society answers two big questions: “Do vaccines really work?” and “Do vaccines have side effects?”.
• Tell Me More: Antibodies explains what antibodies are and how vaccines use them.
• Questions and Answers | immunizecanada answers common questions about vaccine ingredients and homeopathic ‘vaccines’ or ‘nosodes’.

Ensure your vaccine records are current and report all vaccinations to Southeast Public Health. It is your responsibility to report your child’s immunizations to Southeast Public Health to keep records up-to-date per standards of the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Learn how to view and submit your vaccination records.

If you are travelling, you may need certain vaccines to protect you from disease. Consult your health-care provider at least three months prior to your trip to determine the necessary vaccines to protect yourself from diseases. Your doctor can advise which vaccines are required. Southeast Public Health’s immunization clinics do not offer travel immunizations. If you require immunizations for travel, visit a travel clinic:

• Travel Health Experts – 725 Arlington Park Place, Unit 3, Kingston, 1-888-322-9843
• Travel Health Now – 284 Earl Street, Kingston
• Kingston Travel Vaccination Clinic – 902 Portsmouth Avenue, Kingston, 613-507-8317
• Lovell Drugs – 800 Princess Street, Kingston, 613-549-3300
• Quinte Travel Health Clinic (QTHC) – 120 Clarence Street, Suite 255, Kingston, 613-546-8387
• Passport Health Kingston Travel Clinic – 797 Princess Street, Kingston, 613-817-9841
• Travelhealthclinics.ca
• Quinte Health Travel Clinic – 135 Victoria Avenue Unit 201, Belleville, 613-966-5486

If you require immunizations for work, visit your health-care provider, your occupational health department, a walk-in clinic, a travel clinic, or our routine immunization clinic.

Southeast Public Health’s routine immunization clinic does not offer the following services:

• tuberculin skin tests (a.k.a. TB skin test, Mantoux test or PPD)
• rabies vaccine
• paid vaccines
• blood titers

You may be eligible for additional free vaccines if you have a medical condition or are in a situation that places you at higher risk of disease. To find out more, speak with your health-care provider or call Southeast Public Health.

Find more information on how to protect yourself from serious illnesses with safe and reliable vaccines on Government of Ontario’s website.

Southeast Public Health does not offer:

• travel vaccine clinics
• tuberculin skin tests (i.e., TB skin test, Mantoux test, or PPD)
• rabies vaccine
• paid vaccines
• blood titers

Step 1: Phone Southeast Public Health

• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
  • Phone: 1-800-267-2803, extension 221
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
  • Phone: 613-549-1232, extension 1451
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
  • Phone: 1-800-660-5853, extension 2313

Step 2: You will be asked to fill out a Statement of Medical Exemption and have it signed by a physician or nurse practitioner.

Step 3: Submit the original form to Southeast Public Health and keep a copy for your records.

For children in child care centres

In Ontario, the Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) requires children to be vaccinated against designated diseases to attend licensed child care centres unless they have a valid exemption. Children who are exempt from immunization are at increased risk of disease. They may be removed from childcare during a disease outbreak.

Learn more about vaccines for babies and toddlers attending a licensed childcare centre.

Step 1: Phone Southeast Public Health

• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
  • Phone: 1-800-267-2803, extension 221
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
  • Phone: 613-549-1232, extension 1451
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
  • Phone: 1-800-660-5853, extension 2313

Step 2: You will be asked to fill out a Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and have it signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.

Step 3: Submit the original form to Southeast Public Health and keep a copy for your records. We do not accept this form by fax or email for children in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, or in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington.

• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
  • Original documents may be brought into any of our office locations where they will scan it and give you back your original documents.
  • You may choose to send to Southeast Public Health by email, acknowledging that email is not a guaranteed secure method.
    • school.vaccine@SoutheastPH.ca.
  • Fax is 613-345-7038

For children in elementary and secondary school

In Ontario, the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires students to be vaccinated against designated diseases to attend school unless they have a valid exemption. Children who are exempt from immunization are at increased risk of disease. They may be removed from school during a disease outbreak.

Learn more about vaccines for children at school.

Step 1: Phone Southeast Public Health

• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
  • Phone: 1-800-267-2803, extension 221
• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington
  • Phone: 613-549-1232, extension 1451
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
  • Phone: 1-800-660-5853, extension 2313

Step 2: You will be asked to:

• Watch a vaccine education video.
  • For Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties: watch the Parent Education Session – Immunization Exemptions.
• Fill out a Statement of Medical Exemption and have it signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario. Most municipal offices have a notary who will witness your signature for no cost or a small fee.

Step 3: Submit the original form to Southeast Public Health and keep a copy for your records. We do not accept this form by fax or email for children in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties, or in Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington.

• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties
  • Original documents may be brought into any of our office locations where they will scan it and give you back your original documents.
  • You may choose to send to Southeast Public Health by email, acknowledging that email is not a guaranteed secure method.
    • school.vaccine@SoutheastPH.ca.
  • Fax is 613-345-7038

Southeast Public Health does not provide exemptions for the workplace or post-secondary students required to have immunizations for school or placement. Consult your employer, occupation health, school or placement organization for details related to their applicable vaccine requirements and exemption process.