Québec Announces Major Changes to Children Immunization Schedule

The Québec government has unveiled a revised vaccine schedule for children born after May 31, 2019. 

‘With the current immunization schedule, parents have to make numerous appointments and some end up putting off, or refusing the administration of certain vaccines, said the Québec Health and Social Services in a statement on April 24, 2019. 

“Based on the most recent data, Québec’s experts have concluded that the immunization schedule for healthy children could be simplified while providing the necessary protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.’ 

‘The new schedule reduces the number of appointments needed, which makes it easier for parents to stick to the schedule.’ 

Québec Health and Social Services Minister Danielle McCann said, ‘The decision to simplify the immunization schedule aims to encourage parents to vaccinate their children in a timely manner that promotes the best possible protection against preventable diseases.” 

The changes to the Canadian province’s vaccination schedule include the following:

• Diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, hepatitis B, polio and Haemophilus influenzae vaccines will be administered to infants at two and four months of age
• Vaccines against pneumococcal and rotavirus will also be given at two and four months of age
• The vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio and Haemophilus influenzae infections previously given to infants at six months will be eliminated
• A vaccine against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and Haemophilus influenzae infections will be administered at 12 months
• Two doses of the measles, rubella, mumps and varicella vaccine will be given at 12 and 18 months of age, respectively
• The vaccine against meningococcal serogroup C will be given at 18 months of age
• The vaccine against hepatitis A will be added using the combination vaccine (hepatitis A and B) at the age of 18 months to complete the vaccination against both forms of hepatitis

The Health Minister also said ‘that vaccination remains the most effective way to protect against certain diseases, and is recognized as safe by the scientific community.’ 

It also commits the Department of Health and Social Services to continue its efforts to raise the public's awareness of the need to vaccinate. 

For more information on vaccinations in Quebec click here.