Updated Guidance for Routine Immunization Services During COVID-19

Advisory Alert

June 8, 2022

*Cette information est seulement disponible en anglais.

To: Local Health System Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

Updated program eligibility extensions for select publicly-funded vaccines

The Ministry of Health has recently updated their Guidance for Routine Immunization Services During COVID-19 (PDF) document. The document complements existing Ministry of Health guidance that can be found on the Ministry of Health COVID-19 website. Important changes related to vaccine program eligibility are highlighted below.

Please review the document in its entirety for information on COVID-19 requirements for screening of patients presenting to your office for services and on the infection prevention and control measures (masking, physical distancing, environment and equipment cleaning and disinfection and use of PPE, etc.)  that must continue to be implemented within clinical environments to ensure the provision of safe care.

Immunization of individuals missing routine vaccines

As a result of COVID-19, some individuals may have missed opportunities to receive some publicly-funded vaccines that have age or grade-based eligibility. As such, extensions have been provided for impacted cohorts as noted in Tables 1 to 3 below. Please consider these extensions when assessing individuals for eligibility for routine publicly funded vaccines.

General principles

Extension dates for select publicly-funded vaccines

Table 1: School program vaccines

VaccineCurrent EligibilityImpacted CohortRemains Eligible for Missed Doses Until
Hep B
(Recombivax or Engerix)
Grades 7 to 8 Grade 9 students in the 2020/21, 2021/22, and 2022/23 school years
(Born in 2006a, 2007, or 2008)
Aug 31, 2023 (must complete series)
HPV-9
(Gardasil 9)
Grades 7 to 12 Students who graduated in the 2019/20*, 2020/21*, and 2021/22 school years
(Born in 2002, 2003, or 2004)b
Aug 31, 2023 (must complete series)
Men-C-ACYW135
(Nimenrix)
Grades 7 to 12 and those born in or after 1997 N/ARemains eligible until vaccine is received.

Table 2: High-risk vaccines

VaccineCurrent EligibilityImpacted CohortRemains Eligible for Missed Doses Until
HPV-9c
(Gardasil)
Males 9 to
26 years
Males born in 1993, 1994, 1995, and 1996 Dec 31, 2023
4CMenBd
(Bexsero)
2 months to
17 years
Individuals born in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 Dec 31, 2023
Men-C-ACYW135
(Menactra)
(Nimenrix)
9 months to
55 yearse
Individuals born in 1964f, 1965g, 1966h, and 1967Dec 31, 2023

*Females only as per publicly-funded program criteria. Males in grade 7 became eligible in 2016. These males were born in 2004.

a  Individuals aged 16 years and older require a 3-dose Hep B immunization schedule as per the Canadian Immunization Guide.

b Individuals aged 15 years and older require a 3-dose HPV-9 immunization schedule as per the Canadian Immunization Guide.

c, d Age of the impacted cohorts falls within the Health Canada product monograph age indications for product use

e Ontario publicly funds a single lifetime dose of Men-C-ACYW135 for individuals ≥56 years of age who meet high risk eligibility criteria listed in Table 3: High Risk Vaccine Programs of the Publicly Funded Schedules for Ontario (2020).

f, g, h Under the program extension high risk individuals born in 1964, 1965, and 1966 are eligible for 2 doses of Men-C-ACYW135, since they would have been 55 years of age in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. Administration of two doses in these cohorts aligns with National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommendations based on expert opinion to as the product monographs limits age indication to 55 years of age.

Table 3: Adult vaccines

VaccineCurrent EligibilityImpacted CohortRemains Eligible for Missed Doses Until
HZ (Shingrix)65 to 70 years oldSeniors born in 1949, 1950, 1951, and 1952Dec 31, 2023

Vaccine ordering

Vaccines may be ordered through your usual ordering practices using the Vaccine Order Form (PDF) available on our website (www.phsd.ca).

For further information

Refer to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization for current recommendations on the concomitant administration of COVID-19 and other routine vaccines in children and adults.

Should you have questions regarding eligibility for publicly funded vaccines, to inquire about an immunization record, or for assistance in determining an appropriate catch-up schedule for a patient, please contact the immunization program at 1.705.522.9200, ext. 458, or toll-free at 1.866.522.9200.

Sincerely,

Original Signed By

Dr. Penny Sutcliffe
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

Please note that email addresses of some recipients were provided to Public Health Sudbury & Districts by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) for the purpose of communications related to COVID-19. If you prefer to no longer receive Advisory Alerts from Public Health, please reply to this email requesting to be removed from our distribution list.

NOTE: All Advisory Alerts are found on our website.


This item was last modified on June 9, 2022