Ottawa pop-up immunization clinic to provide infant vaccinations amid coronavirus pandemic

With all the talk of a vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, new parents are still thinking about how they can make sure their babies get a regular course of immunization shots.

A group of Ottawa health-care partners are opening up regular clinics to help parents ensure their young kids and infants are kept up to date on their vaccinations.

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa Public Health, CANImmunize and a handful of community pediatricians are members of the Kids Come First Health Team, which looks to provide another option to help get infants their primary series of immunizations safely at a time when the local health-care system has been significantly disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

Children under two years of age can receive a set of six vaccinations, listed in full below, at CHEO on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays starting on April 28.

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The service is being offered as an alternative when family doctors are unavailable during the pandemic, though the clinic visits do not replace regular well-baby visits with primary care providers.

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Parents can call the local public health unit at 613-580-6744 to schedule an appointment.

Anyone who missed their primary series vaccines, such as newcomers to Canada, is also eligible to receive vaccines through the clinic.

Vaccines included at the Children’s Immunization Clinic (and age when typically due):

• Five-in-one vaccine (diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus-polio-Haemophilus influenzae type B) (two, four, six, 18 months)
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (two, four, 12 months)
• Rotavirus vaccine (two, four, six months)
• Meningococcal conjugate type C (12 months)
• Measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (12 months)
• Chickenpox vaccine (15 months)

Vaccines not included at the Children’s Immunization Clinic (and age when typically due):

• Preschool boosters (ages four to six)
• Adolescent boosters (ages 14 to 16)
• The school-based series for hepatitis B, HPV and meningococcal conjugate vaccines (normally given in grades 7 and 8)