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Health Professionals Update – Vol. 18, No. 17

July 10, 2025

From:
Kathryn Marsilio, MPH, MD, CCFP, FRCPC
Associate Medical Officer of Health

In this issue:

  • Update: Pneumococcal vaccine program enhancement – High-risk pediatric population
  • End of the 2024/25 high-risk older adult RSV vaccine program
  • Vaccine storage and handling practice reminders

Key messages:

  • Children aged 6 weeks to 17 years at increased risk for invasive pneumococcal disease and who have previously completed the Pneu-C-13 vaccine series are now eligible for a single dose of the Pneu-C-20 vaccine.
  • Information on the 2025-2026 RSV prevention programs will be shared before the RSV season begins in the fall.
  • Vaccines can lose their effectiveness when exposed to excessive heat, cold or light.

Update: Pneumococcal vaccine program enhancement – High-risk pediatric population

An update was made to the high-risk pediatric component of Ontario’s publicly funded pneumococcal vaccine program.

  • Children aged 6 weeks to 17 years with certain medical and non-medical conditions that increase their risk for invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD), and who have previously completed their immunization schedule with pneumococcal 13-valent conjugate (Pneu-C-13) vaccine, are now eligible for one dose of pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate (Pneu-C-20) vaccine. 

Eligibility for the adult pneumococcal program remains the same. Health care providers can order the vaccine for eligible children through the Health Professional’s Portal.

Updated pneumococcal fact sheets are available at vaccine resources for professionals.

End of the 2024/25 high-risk older adult RSV vaccine program 

The 2024/25 RSV prevention program for high-risk older adults ended June 30. 

As previously shared in Health Professional Update – Vol.18, No. 10. the 2024/25 RSV prevention program for infants and high-risk children has also concluded for this season. 

Information on the 2025-2026 RSV prevention programs will be shared before the RSV season begins in the Fall.

Please retain any unexpired vaccine inventory at your clinic for use during the Fall 2025/26 respiratory season for eligible populations. Do not return unexpired doses as wastage. To ensure vaccine integrity, store all doses between +2°C and +8°C and keep vaccines in their original outer carton until administration to protect them from light.

Find additional information at Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) prevention programs.

Vaccine storage and handling practice reminders

Vaccines exposed to light and temperatures outside of +2.0°C and +8.0°C can potentially lose potency and effectiveness, and put your clients at risk of not being protected from vaccine preventable diseases.

Reminders about safe and effective vaccines storage and handling practices: 

  • Document current, minimum and maximum vaccine fridge temperatures twice daily.
  • Report all cold chain failures (temperatures outside of +2.0°C and +8.0°C) immediately to Peel Public health at (905) 791-7800 ext. 2840 or VMPHN@peelregion.ca; place a sign on your fridge “Do Not Use Vaccines”. Do not administer any vaccines until further notice from Peel Public Health.
  • Keep only one month vaccine inventory to avoid vaccine wastage.
  • For scheduled and unscheduled power outages, keep the vaccine fridge door closed, document the vaccine temperatures and report to Peel Public Health immediately. If the power outage has caused a cold chain failure, do not administer any vaccines until further notice from Peel Public Health. 

It is important that all cold chain failures, power outages and malfunctions of the vaccine fridge are reported to Peel Public Health immediately. We will work with you to determine whether vaccines are safe to be administered and how to ensure you are meeting the vaccines safe storage and handling requirements.

Contact us

The Health Professionals Update (HPU) is distributed to physician offices in Peel region via fax or email. Share this update with other health professionals in your clinic. 

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