Recent oral polio vaccines no longer valid for school, OPH says

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) says children who received an oral polio vaccine since April 2016no longer meet provincial vaccine requirements for school and daycare.

A provincial explainerfrom April says oral polio vaccines haven't been used in Canada for nearly 30 years, so children affected likely got one elsewhere. Canada uses injectable polio vaccines.

The province and OPH each point to guidance changes from theNational Advisory Committee on Immunization around an international oral polio vaccine change in 2016. The committee said the oral vaccine in use after this change is no longer considered strong enough.

Over 2,400 students with vaccine records includingthis oral vaccinehave been sent letters, according to OPH.

In order to attend school in Ontario, students must be immunized against nine illnesses, includingpolio, unless they have a valid exemption.