Region of Waterloo Public Health launches new online system for reporting and viewing student immunization records
With the 2019/20 school year started, Region of Waterloo Public Health is reminding parents of school age children to update and report their children’s immunization records. This year, to make things easier, Region of Waterloo Public Health is launching Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON). ICON is a provincial system where parents can submit records securely to Waterloo Public Health, and also view their child’s records online.
“In many cases, parents are not sure what immunizations have or have not been reported to Public Health, making the process of updating records difficult. With ICON, parents will be able to view the records that Public Health has online, and then submit new or update existing information all on one website” says David Aoki, Manager of Vaccine Preventable Diseases.
In Ontario, students are required to be up-to-date and to report immunizations for nine diseases. Parents can also submit a medical or non-medical exemption to vaccination. Each year Region of Waterloo Public Health reviews every student’s immunization record and notifies parents if their child’s record is not up-to-date.
David Aoki continues to say, “for most parents who receive a notification that their child’s record is not up-to-date, it is simply a matter of notifying public health of their child’s immunization records.”
Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) can be accessed easily through the Region of Waterloo Public Health website at regionofwaterloo.ca/updateimmunizations. The student’s Ontario Health Card number is required.
Parents can continue to report their children’s immunizations, or consult Public Health over the phone at 519-575-4400.
Media contact:
Julie Kalbfleisch
Manager, Health Communications
Region of Waterloo Public Health and Emergency Services
519-575-4400 ext. 2270
jkalbfleisch@regionofwaterloo.ca