Summer Student Immunization Catch-Up

To: Health Care Professionals in Niagara
From: Clinical Services Division, Niagara Region Public Health
Reference: Summer Student Immunization Catch-Up
Date: June 11, 2026

Public Health will be sending approximately 6,000 letters in June to students and their families related to vaccine catch-up. This early outreach aims to reduce the number of notices and suspension orders issued during the 2026-2027 ISPA review period starting this fall. Your office may see an increase in patients asking for:

Vaccination appointments (including grade 7 vaccines)
Review and clarification of the letter sent by Public Health

This memo includes important details for your practice, as well as information about a new meningococcal ACW-135 vaccine product.

Health Care Provider Action

If there is a discrepancy between Public Health’s recommendation in the letter and your clinical assessment, please call us to discuss. A student may appear clinically up to date, but there are additional considerations when assessing compliance for the Immunization of School Pupils Act.

For patients of all ages:

During all vaccine appointments, ask your patient if they have received vaccines elsewhere (e.g. Public Health, pharmacy) and review the record of their immunizations (e.g. chit or receipt, if available)

For all students:

Use The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA): Guide for Health Care Providers to assess student vaccine records (available for order under Vaccinations and Immunizations)

For students eligible for grade 7 vaccines:

During the 2025-2026 school year, Public Health successfully held school-based vaccination clinics at participating schools for eligible grade 7 students. Some of these students were not able to get vaccinated at their school.

Please review the vaccination status of students that were in grade 7 for the 2025-2026 school year to confirm they are up to date with Hepatitis B, Meningococcal ACYW and HPV vaccines
When seeing patients that were in grade 8 to the end of high school for the 2025-2026 school year, confirm if they received their grade 7 vaccines or if they need to be caught up
- Students leaving high school remain eligible until September 1, 2026

For patients 0 to 17 years of age:

Remind families they are responsible for reporting vaccines to Public Health (Immunization Record Reporting: Reminder)
When administering combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine (Twinrix® or Twinrix Jr.®) to children, please remind parents/guardians to report their child’s vaccines directly to Public Health. Order the notification tear-off pads for your office to support the parent or legal guardian in reporting their child’s vaccine to Public Health.

Office Staff Action

Order vaccines as needed using the Vaccine Order Form for Physicians and Primary Care for ISPA and grade 7 vaccines
IPV (Imovax® Polio) is now available for ordering

New Meningococcal ACW-135 Vaccine Product

Men-C-ACYW-135 is a grade 7 program vaccine, an Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) required vaccine, as well as a high-risk vaccine.

A new Men-C-ACYW-135 product, Menveo, will be distributed once Public Health receives inventory.

Menveo:

Is indicated for individuals 2 months to 55 years of age
Comes in a single dose vial that does not require reconstitution
Pack dimensions: 5.25” x 5.0” x 3.4”
In indicated populations, Menveo is an equivalent product to Menactra®, Nimenrix®, or MenQuadfi®

More Information

Call Public Health at 905-688-8248 or 1-888-505-6074 ext. 7396