Health Unit launches new program to keep track of vaccination records

KAWARTHA LAKES-Sometimes cell phone screen time can actually be good for your health.

The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit has launched a new web-based program that makes it easier for families to track and manage their children’s immunization records. It’s called The Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) tool (http://hkpr.icon.ehealthontario.ca) and Haliburton County, Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes are part of a provincial rollout of the new system.“No more need for paper immunization records, as ICON is a secure, online tool that parents and guardians can access anytime,” says Marianne Rock, Manager of Communicable Disease Control, Epidemiology and Evaluation with the HKPR District Health Unit. “ICON allows parents and guardians to view, print or update their children’s immunization records. The system also provides notification when a child requires new vaccines.”

 ICON will be very helpful for families with children, who typically require certain vaccines to attend daycares and schools according to Rock. As well, ICON allows parents and guardians to more easily update new vaccines their children receive to keep immunization records up-to-date.

To access the system, ICON requires an Ontario Immunization ID and PIN number. To get this information, local residents can call the Health Unit at 1-866-888-4577, ext. 1507.