How do Children Get Immunized in BC?

• Most infants and toddlers are immunized either by public health nurses at their local health unit or by their family physicians. 
• Immunization records are kept for most children in British Columbia in the province’s immunization registry, called iPHIS (integrated Public Health Information System). 
• iPHIS records are used to measure immunization coverage for children living in the Fraser, Interior, Vancouver Island and Northern Health Authorities and the North Shore/Coast Garibaldi Health Service Delivery Area. 
• Immunization coverage is measured for two-year olds living in the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority by periodic surveys. 

Coverage Rates in BC

• Generally the number of children who are fully immunized before their 2nd birthday has been increasing slowly over the past number of years.
• 63.5% of children born in 2004 were fully immunized. This rose to 64.9% of children born in 2005 and to 66.5% for children born in 2006.
• When vaccine agents were considered individually, 75.7%-86.2% of children born in 2006 were up-to-date for age for each agent.
• For more details, please see the 2 Year Old Coverage Report.