Assessing the effect of Covid-19 on routine childhood immunization for children under 17 in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Routine childhood immunization is a cornerstone of public health, protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases and contributing to community immunity. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted health systems globally, affecting access to routine services, including immunizations. This research aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 on routine childhood immunization for children aged 7, 12 and 17 years in Ontario, Canada using aggregated data from 2016/2017 to 2023/2024 school years. A population-based retrospective observational study design was used. Data were obtained from publicly available sources tracking immunization coverage across Ontario from the 2016/2017 to 2023/2024 school years. Children aged 7, 12 and 17 years who received immunizations during this period were included. Data were extracted by antigen, year, and Public Health Unit (PHU) using a structured tool, and analyzed in Stata 16.