“Statement of conscience or religious belief” means a statement by affidavit in the prescribed form by a parent of the person named in the statement that immunization conflicts with the sincerely held convictions of the parent based on the parent’s religion or conscience; “statement of medical exemption” means a statement in the prescribed form signed by a physician or registered nurse in the extended class stating that the prescribed program of immunization in relation to a designated disease or designated diseases,
(a) may be detrimental to the health of the person named in the statement, or
(b) is unnecessary in respect of the person named in the statement by reason of past infection or laboratory evidence of immunity.
A recent article in the news stated more than one-third of Hamilton students face suspension over missing vaccine records. Without speculating too deeply into the rationale there could be several legitimate reasons attributed to this decline including disruptions to the school calendar during the COVID years, and barriers to accessing vaccines and health care, particularly in remote communities in Canada.
Another possibly is the convoluted methods used to track vaccinations in Ontario. There is no central database of who received what. When a health care provider immunizes a patient, the only record is the bill they send the government. Parents are responsible for submitting and maintaining their own immunization records in Ontario.
One should also not discount the obvious erosion of trust in public health mandates fueling some vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy has influenced vaccine uptake in Canada amidst a range of concerns such as uncertainty about the contents of vaccines, their safety and the belief that vaccines are responsible for causing other medical conditions (e.g., autism).
A consultation of Canadian experts and healthcare providers, conducted by the Canadian Immunization Research Network (CIRN) in a 2017 study found that 17% of respondents were described as vaccine-hesitant but also that a third of parents regarded natural immunity as superior to vaccines. The CINR defined vaccine hesitancy as “the reluctance to receive recommended vaccination because of concerns and doubts about vaccines that may or may not lead to delayed vaccination or refusal of one, many or all vaccines.”
The fringe definition would be opposition to state control and infringement on individual liberty, suspicions about the pharmaceutical industry and a declining faith in science and medicine.
In Canada, vaccination is voluntary. Two provinces, Ontario and New Brunswick, require proof of immunization for children and adolescents to attend school. This includes vaccination for diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps and rubella. However, even in these provinces, parents may opt out of vaccinations for medical or ideological reasons.
Exemptions for Students in Ontario
Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), a child attending school (Kindergarten-Grade 12) must either have proof of vaccination or have a valid medical or non-medical exemption. A parent/guardian who wishes to submit an exemption must complete an appropriate exemption form and submit it to Public Health. This is also applicable to children in licensed daycare centres.
For Medical Reasons
You must fill out a Statement of Medical Exemption form signed by a physician or nurse practitioner and submit it to your local public health unit. It will indicate the reason for the exemption, such as your child has a medical condition that prevents them from receiving the vaccine or there is evidence of your child’s immunity to the disease, making further immunization unnecessary.
For Conscience or Religious Belief
For your child to be exempted due to conscience or religious belief, you must contact your local public health unit (PHU) and let them know you wish to have your child exempted from the required vaccines.
The PHU will: advise you on the steps to take in completing a valid exemption, including watching the vaccine education video (about 30 minutes). The video covers basic information about immunization, vaccine safety, how immunization affects overall public health and the immunization law in Ontario.
The PHU will also answer any additional questions you have about vaccines or about the process for applying for an exemption as well as provide you with a signed and dated Vaccine Education Certificate after you have watched the video.
Fill Out a Form
Complete a Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and when completed you must get it signed by a commissioner (or notary public) for taking affidavits in Ontario. Make copies of the Vaccine Education Certificate and signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form for your records. This is important as the ministry and local public health units do not keep records of your exemption documents. Submit the original copies of your Vaccine Education Certificate and signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form to your local public health unit.
Other Considerations
Children who are not vaccinated are at increased risk of getting infections and spreading diseases to others. If your child has a vaccine exemption, and a vaccine-preventable disease appears in your child’s school or daycare, your child may have to stay out of school, daycare, playgroups, or sports until the disease is no longer present. You will be informed when it is safe for your child to return. Be prepared to keep your child home for several days, or up to several weeks depending on the disease.