SIMCOE MUSKOKA – Beginning Oct. 6, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), in partnership with local school boards, will be providing school-based clinics for three routine recommended immunizations for Grade 7 students: hepatitis B, meningococcal conjugate (Men-C-ACYW), and human papillomavirus (HPV).
SIMCOE MUSKOKA – Beginning Oct. 6, the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), in partnership with local school boards, will be providing school-based clinics for three routine recommended immunizations for Grade 7 students: hepatitis B, meningococcal conjugate (Men-C-ACYW), and human papillomavirus (HPV).
From October through December, nurses will visit elementary schools across Simcoe and Muskoka to administer the first round of these free vaccines. Information and consent forms were sent home with students in early September. Parents or guardians who did not receive a form are encouraged to contact their child’s teacher or call the health unit at 705‑721‑7520, ext. 8827.
Students in Grade 8 who missed a dose and did not complete their vaccine series in Grade 7 will be able to catch up during the second round of clinics, scheduled for April to June 2026. Grade 7 students who miss the fall clinics will be able to begin their series in the spring and complete it in the fall of Grade 8.
Dr. Colin Lee, associate medical officer of health with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, emphasizes the importance of vaccinating Grade 7 students against serious illnesses. “Meningococcal disease, hepatitis B, and HPV can have life-threatening consequences. These vaccines are safe, effective, and offer strong protection when the full series is completed. The HPV vaccine plays a key role in lowering the risk of several cancers, including cervical and throat cancers, and in preventing genital warts. The vaccine is most effective when given before sexual activity begins.”
The health unit encourages families to follow Ontario’s publicly funded immunization schedule. Keeping students up to date with their vaccines offers the best protection against serious, preventable diseases, reduces the risk of outbreaks in schools, and allows the health unit to act quickly to prevent and control the spread of illness.
More information regarding the full school clinic schedule, strategies to support a positive immunization experience for students, and details about the vaccines offered in Grade 7 and the diseases they prevent is available at smdhu.org/Grade7. For further inquiries, please contact the immunization team at 705‑721‑7520, ext. 8827 (toll-free 1‑877‑721‑7520), weekdays between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
