Vaccinate and Up-to-Date
What is measles
Measles is a highly contagious infection caused by the measles virus that can cause a variety of symptoms including a blotchy red rash. It is contagious from 4 days before the rash starts to 4 days after the rash starts.
The measles virus lives in the nose and throat of a person who is infected and can be spread through the air (from breathing, coughing, or sneezing).
Because measles can live in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours, it’s important to take precautions including wearing a mask and regular handwashing if you have symptoms to reduce the risk of spread to others.
While measles is rare in Canada, we are seeing more travel-related cases and some spread in under-vaccinated communities in Ontario and Quebec. The best way to protect against measles is by getting the measles vaccine.
How to prevent measles
Measles is preventable by staying up to date with childhood routine immunizations, which includes two doses of the measles vaccine for children in Ontario. The measles vaccine is free, safe and effective — two-doses provide almost 100% protection and immunity is usually life-long.
More information on measles vaccination:
- For more information and resources on measles vaccination for Ottawa residents, visit Ottawa Public Health’s Measles page.
- Kids Come First’s Vaccinate and Up-To-Date campaign is here to make it easier for children and youth in the region to catch up on routine vaccines — book your appointment now.
- For a list of vaccination clinics in schools and the Ottawa area, visit Parenting in Ottawa’s website.
- To request a copy of your child’s immunization record, visit your local Public Health Unit’s website.
We know that the past few years have made it difficult for families to keep up with the routine vaccines needed to protect children and youth from disease and to keep them healthy.
In response, the Population and Public Health Working Group of the Kids Come First Health Team joined together to connect children and youth to the care they need. The Kids Come First – Vaccinate and Up-to-Date initiative is here to make it easier for children and youth in the region to catch up on routine vaccines.
Families, caregivers, and patients are now able to start booking routine vaccine appointments using the Kids Come First Clinic Flow booking page!
To book an appointment, your child or youth:
- Lives and/or goes to daycare or school in Ontario;
- Is due for recommended vaccinations;
- Does not have a family physician or pediatrician or a Primary Health Care nurse practitioner (PHC-NP) or cannot easily see their family physician, pediatrician, or PHC-NP.
Note that an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card is not required to book an appointment.
Book here! Prendre rendez-vous !
| Location/Region | Public Health Unit | Info/Website | Book an Immunization Appointment | Drop-in Immunization Options |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa | Ottawa Public Health | Ottawa Public Health | Online Appointment Bookings | Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs |
| Almonte, Brockville, Gananoque, Kemptville and Smiths Falls | Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health | Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit | Online Appointment Bookings | n/a |
| Renfrew and Pembroke | Renfrew County and District Health | Renfrew County and District Health Unit |
613-732-9436 OR 1-833-773-0004 |
n/a |
| Alexandria, Casselman, Cornall, Hawkesbury, Rockland and Winchester | Eastern Ontario Health Unit | Eastern Ontario Health Unit |
613-933-1375 OR 1-800-267-7120 |
n/a |
Why are these clinics so important?
In the Eastern Ontario region, there is a large backlog of missed doses of childhood vaccines for children under the age of 17. These vaccines protect against diseases like measles, mumps, rubella, polio, pertussis, diphtheria, tetanus, meningitis, and chicken pox.
Getting vaccinated will help keep children and families healthy and help prevent disease outbreaks. Staying healthy will also keep everyone in school, work, and play settings where they can thrive and grow.
Who is involved in this project?
Members of the Population and Public Health working group of the Kids Come First Health Team are healthcare providers and organizations who are working together to improve the health of the entire population while reducing the health inequities among population groups.
Together we are working with CANImmunize, an Ottawa-based technology company specializing in immunization software, to make it easier for families to book appointments for routine pediatric vaccinations and address the current vaccination gap.
Participating members include:
- Centretown Community Health Centre
- Ottawa Public Health
- Somerset West Community Health Centre
Frequently Asked Questions
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Can my child or youth go to a Kids Come First: Vaccinate and Up-to-Date campaign and use ClinicFlow if they already have a family physician, or pediatrician, or PHC-NP? |
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The Kids Come First: Vaccinate and Up-to-Date campaign was established to serve children and youth living and/or going to school or daycare in Eastern Ontario, and who do not currently have a family physician, pediatrician, or PHC-NP. If your child or youth has family physician, pediatrician, or PHC-NP, please schedule an immunization visit with them. |
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Does my child or youth need an OHIP card to make an appointment? |
| No, your child does not need an OHIP card to make an appointment. If you have OHIP or another provincial health card number, please use it to register and bring the health card to the vaccine appointment. |
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Do I need to create another log-in to get an appointment? |
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No, you do not need to create a new log-in. If this is the first time you are using ClinicFlow to book an appointment, a new patient file will be created for your child or youth. You will need to enter basic demographic information about your child or youth in the booking page to create this file. When booking future appointments, you will only need to enter the same basic demographic information and ClinicFlow will “match” the new appointment with your existing patient file. |
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How do I book an appointment if I am bilingual or want to receive services in French? |
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A clinic name will appear in both English and French if they provide services in both languages. |
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Do I need an appointment to visit a Kids Come First – Vaccinate & Up-to-Date clinic? |
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You do not need an appointment, but priority will be given to those with an appointment. To avoid waiting or having to return on a different day, please book an appointment online. It is really easy! |
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What if I don’t know or am not sure which vaccines my child or youth needs? |
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Don’t worry, that is what the Vaccine History Assessment appointments are for! These longer appointments allow time for clinicians to help parents, caregivers and patients review their vaccine history and figure out what vaccines are needed. Newcomers to Canada and Ontario are encouraged to book an initial Vaccination History Assessment appointment. Please bring your child’s vaccine history card to the appointment. Please note that the vaccine history needs to be in either English or French. When possible, the clinician will administer the needed vaccines at the same appointment. |
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What if I am having trouble booking an appointment online? |
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If you are having issues booking online or have other questions, you can call one of the Public Health Units who will help to book your appointment.
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What is CANImmunize and ClinicFlow? |
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CANImmunize has developed ClinicFlow, which is an easy-to-use, best-in-class, end-to-end immunization system that allows parents to easily book appointments and send immunization information automatically to their public health unit. ClinicFlow is a web portal. It is not an application, so people do not need to download an app. The ClinicFlow booking page for Eastern Ontario is here and the patient portal where families/patients can get their vaccine receipt is here. ClinicFlow was successfully used by three provincial/territorial governments to support their mass immunization programs, including COVID-19 and Influenza appointment bookings and record keeping. This is the first time public health units and local community clinics have worked together to use ClinicFlow for routine childhood vaccinations in this innovative way. Click here for ClinicFlow product information: https://www.canimmunize.ca/en/home#clinic-flow |
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How is ClinicFlow related to CANImmunize app? |
Parents and caregivers are encouraged to download the CANImmunize App. This will allow you to:
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| How do I reschedule or cancel my appointment? |
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Once an appointment has been booked, you'll have the option to manage it via the email sent to your inbox. Follow the steps below:
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Additional Resources
Some children may feel uneasy or afraid of getting their vaccine(s), but there are a few resources that can help to ease their anxieties and improve their experience:
- CHEO
- Immunize.ca
- CANImmunize Knowledge Centre – Importance of Immunization for Kids!
Last Updated: 2023-09-06