Vaccines and Immunizations
Vaccines, or immunizations, prevent the spread of disease from one person to another. They help to create antibodies to fight off deadly viruses and bacteria that may enter your body. The more people who receive immunizations, the less chance a disease has to spread. This helps to keep you, your family, and your community safe from many vaccine-preventable diseases.
Types of immunizations we give include:
- Publicly funded vaccines as per the Ontario publicly funded immunization schedule
- Influenza (flu) vaccine
- COVID-19 vaccine
- Non-publicly funded vaccines (travel) – includes a fee
What we do
Some of our services related to vaccines, immunization, and infectious diseases include:
- Immunizations
- Influenza (Flu) prevention
- School immunizations
- Daycare immunizations
- Travel vaccinations
- Immunization records
Immunizations
We immunize the public against vaccine-preventable diseases in various locations in our communities.
To get your immunization record or to check whether you are due for an immunization, you can use the Immunization Connect Ontario(ICON) website or call your local NWHU office.
Influenza (Flu) prevention
The flu shot is your best defence against influenza and is recommended for everyone aged 6 months or older. Influenza is most common in the late fall to early spring.
How can I get my shot?
You can book your flu shot as well as check your eligibility by visiting our Booking a COVID-19 or Flu Vaccine Appointment page.
Why should I get my flu shot?
The flu shot is:
- Safe (including for kids and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Free
- Proven to reduce the number of doctor visits, hospitalizations, and deaths related to influenza
- Needed each fall as the vaccine is different each year because the virus changes frequently.
All flu vaccines offered in Ontario help to protect against the flu and are safe and effective. Do not delay vaccination to wait for a particular product.
School immunizations
We provide immunizations to children in schools. We give immunizations as per the Ontario publicly funded immunization schedule; we also notify parents when clinics are happening.
In addition to immunizing students, we also track whether they are due for vaccinations to ensure adherence to the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA).
If you have received a letter from us advising that your child is due for an immunization, please complete our online consent form or contact us using vacccines@nwhu.on.ca; please include your community.
Daycare immunizations
We assess records for daycares according to Child Care and Early Years Act (CCEYA) to make sure that children are up to date with their immunizations. Your child’s daycare will send a letter home if your child is overdue for a vaccine.
To see whether your child is due for an immunization, you can visit theICON website or see the Ontario Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule.
Travel vaccinations
Travelling can increase your risk for a number of illnesses. If you are planning to travel visit www.travel.gc.ca for health information and advice, including recommended vaccinations, specific to your destination.
Travel consultation and vaccination services are available locally through:
- Shopper’s Drug Mart store locations in Fort Frances and Dryden and by:
- Using their online booking system and information page
- Calling the local store location
- Janzen’s Pharmacy in Thunder Bay by
- Using their Travel Health & Vaccination Clinics page
- Sending an email to travelhealth@janzens.ca and requesting an appointment
- Calling 807-345-1191 ext. 4 and requesting an appointment
- Note: Janzen’s Pharmacy is a designated Yellow Fever centre. For other locations see the Yellow Fever Designated Centers for Ontario.
- Winnipeg Regional Health Authority – Travel Health and Tropical Medicine Services
- Call 204-940-8747
NWHU can provide:
- A copy of your immunization record
- An assessment of your immunization status and administer any routine publicly funded vaccines that you are eligible for
- Administer prescribed travel vaccines purchased through a pharmacy for a fee ($25/per person to a max of $100/family)
Immunization records
There are many reasons you may want a copy of your immunization record – daycare, school, work, travel, etc.
Accessing your records is easy. To get your immunization record or to check if you are due for an immunization, you can use the Immunization Connect Ontario(ICON) website, call your local NWHU office, or send us an email.
To use ICON, have your health card, date of birth, and postal code ready to input. Write down your registration so you can access your records again with a simple login.
To request your record by email, send us an email to vaccines@nwhu.on.ca. Include “record request” and your community in the subject line