Back to school is this week and the Ministry of Health want parents to keep in mind the importance of immunization for their children.

The Ministry has made it mandatory to report their child’s immunization records. Most parents will be able to check their records before the end of the month at immunizebc.ca.

The new reporting requirement will increase the ability of public health to respond during an outbreak by having the immunization records readily available.

Rakel Kling, Medical Health Officer with Northern Health said the immunization reporting requirement will give health officials valuable information.

“We’ll be able to educate students appropriately and educate families. This program also provides not only to understand who might be at risk contracting communicable diseases in an outbreak but it also helps us be able to talk to families more readily about vaccines,” said Kling.

Kling also said where students and parents can go to get vaccinated.

“There are local public health units in communities is probably the first place to turn and as part of this campaign our nurses will be going into schools to offer vaccines as part of the usual kindergarten, grade 6 and 9 campaign,” said Kling.

Public Health will be reviewing records for completeness of vaccines over the next year. They will be contacting parents if students are missing any vaccines or vaccine records.