Funding outcome

In Canada, the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions, school and clinic closures, and the reallocation of public health staff has meant that many children may have missed immunization doses. As such, there is concern that coverage rates for routine vaccines will decline, leaving Canadian children vulnerable to disease outbreaks. Data from other international contexts have shown declines as high as 82% for adolescent vaccinations due to disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, however the change in immunization rates among Albertan school-aged children is currently unknown. The objective of this study is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-based immunization coverage in Alberta. To achieve this objective, an analysis of vaccination coverage data from the Alberta Ministry of Health will be conducted. Coverage of two school-based vaccines will be assessed in eligible school-aged children during the pandemic and compared to the pre-pandemic period. The study will also assess whether specific sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., rural/urban residence, attending school online/in-person) are associated with vaccination during the pandemic. Findings from this study can provide important information for the development of public health responses to address the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-based immunization. Specifically, results can guide members of the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, as well as key immunization program stakeholders (e.g., physicians, public health nurses, program coordinators), with respect to identification of populations at risk of disease outbreaks and the need for catch-up vaccination programs.