National Immunization Awareness Week 2023

National Immunization Awareness Week (NIAW) is celebrated annually and this year it takes place from April 24-30, 2023. NIAW is a time to raise awareness of the importance of immunization and the positive impact immunization has on protecting public health and saving lives. This week is also the World Health Organization’s World Immunization Week, which aims to highlight the collective global action needed to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases around the world.

The theme of this year’s NIAW is “Let’s catch up with confidence.” During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people have been unable to receive the vaccines they need. This has resulted in people falling behind on routine immunizations, leaving them vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases. As we adjust to a “new normal” we have an opportunity to catch-up on lost progress in essential immunization.

For over a century, immunization has had great success in protecting Canadians and populations around the world. According to Immunize Canada, immunization has saved more lives than any other health intervention across the country.

Public Health Ontario and immunization resources
Public Health Ontario (PHO) provides scientific and technical expertise in immunization and public health management of vaccine-preventable diseases and conducts surveillance of immunization programs in Ontario, including surveillance of vaccine safety and vaccine preventable diseases and immunization coverage assessment.

We also provide a wide range of resources, surveillance guidance and forms, data tools and reports, and infographics to support public health units and other partners in the immunization system in Ontario.

PHO also hosts the Ontario Immunization Advisory Committee (OIAC), established in August 2021, a multidisciplinary scientific advisory body that provides evidence-based advice to PHO on vaccines and immunization matters including vaccine program implementation in Ontario, priority populations, vaccine safety and effectiveness, and clinical guidance. The focus of their work is on publicly-funded vaccines and immunization programs in Ontario, including COVID-19 and those under consideration for new programming.