Canadian Immunization Guide
The Canadian Immunization Guide (CIG), is the key reference for the WRHA Regional Immunization Manual. The CIG should be used in conjunction with the Regional Immunization Manual and can be used by immunization providers for additional background information when necessary. Recommendations in the Canadian Immunization Guide are the national guidelines for immunization practice and are made by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI). Updated recommendations by NACI since the publication of the 2006 Canadian Immunization Guide are available here.
National Guidelines for Immunization Practices
A full description of the 17 guidelines can be found in the Canadian Immunization Guide.
- Immunization services should be readily available
- There should be no barriers or unnecessary prerequisites to the receipt of vaccines.
- Providers should use all clinical opportunities to screen for needed vaccines and, when indicated, to vaccinate.
- Providers should educate parents and adult vaccine recipients in general terms about immunization.
- Providers should inform patients and parents in specific terms about the risks and benefits of vaccines that they or their child are to receive.
- Providers should recommend deferral or withholding of vaccines for true contraindications only.
- Providers should administer all vaccine doses for which a recipient is eligible at the time of each visit.
- Providers should ensure that all vaccinations are accurately and completely recorded.
- Providers should maintain easily retrievable summaries of the vaccination records to facilitate age-appropriate vaccination.
- Providers should report clinically significant adverse events following vaccination – promptly, accurately and completely.
- Providers should report all cases of vaccine-preventable diseases as required under provincial and territorial legislation.
- Providers should adhere to appropriate procedures for vaccine management.
- Providers should maintain up-to-date, easily retrievable protocols at all locations where vaccines are administered.
- Providers should be properly trained and maintain ongoing education regarding current immunization recommendations.
- Immunization errors should be reported by providers to their local jurisdiction.
- Providers should operate a tracking system.
- Audits should be conducted in all immunization clinics to assess the quality of immunization records and assess immunization coverage levels.