Immunization - Vaccines
To make an appointment
Call your physician or nurse practitioner, another health service that offers vaccines, or Public Health.
Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself against many serious and potentially fatal diseases.
Before the advent of vaccines, many people died or became disabled as a result of infections that are now preventable.
While vaccines protect those who have been vaccinated, they can also help protect others, including those who haven’t been vaccinated, babies who are too young to receive vaccines, people battling diseases such as cancer, and seniors.
Vaccinating large numbers of people can help protect a community against the spread of infectious diseases. This is known as "herd immunity.”
Thanks to immunization, childhood diseases have become rarer and some have almost disappeared.
If vaccination is neglected, these diseases can reappear, however, posing a danger to both children and adults.
Public Health offices offer free vaccinations to infants, children and teenagers.
Vaccines protect school-age children against the risk of complications from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Under the Public Health Act and the Education Act, children entering school for the first time in New Brunswick are required to show proof of immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases.
Each year, public health nurses assess the immunization record of every child starting school for the first time in New Brunswick to:
- Ensure that the student meets the requirements set out in the Public Health Act and the policy of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development;
- Provide an opportunity for parents/legal guardians to update their child's vaccination status.
The law does, however, allow parents or guardians to refuse vaccination for medical reasons or because they object to vaccination. The exemption form is available in schools or on the provincial website.
According to New Brunswick's routine immunization schedule, a child’s immunization record must show that the child has been immunized, depending on their age, against:
- Diphtheria
- Tetanus
- Polio
- Whooping cough
- Measles
- Rubella
- Mumps
- Varicella (chickenpox)
- Meningococcal disease
Vaccination in New Brunswick schools:
- Extends the benefits of vaccination to children, adolescents and parents;
- Provides vaccination in accordance with New Brunswick's routine immunization schedule.
Public health nurses provide immunization against vaccine-preventable diseases to children and adolescents in schools.
The authorization of parents or legal guardians is required for the vaccination of children under age 16. Adolescents age 16 and over can decide for themselves whether to be vaccinated. They are given all the information they need to make an informed decision.
Parents who have a school-age child who is not enrolled in a public school can contact their local Public Health office for more information for further information.
Immunization is safe and effective. Vaccines help people protect themselves and their children against the risk of complications from vaccine-preventable diseases.
New Brunswick residents have access to free vaccines according to the routine immunization schedule and eligibility criteria.
For information on vaccination or on immunization records, contact the organization that administered the vaccines in question.
- Family doctor's office or nurse practitioner's office
- Public Health office
- Other health services
For information on your immunization record, contact the organization that administered the vaccines in question.
- Family doctor's office or nurse practitioner's office
- Public Health Office
- Other health services
There is no single vaccination schedule for travelers. The schedule must be customized based on the:
- Previously received vaccines;
- Countries to be visited;
- Nature and duration of the trip;
- Time remaining before departure.
Contact a travel vaccination clinic for more information:
The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza is to be vaccinated every year. When people are immune, they protect themselves and others.
The flu vaccine is free for:
- People at high risk of complications from influenza;
- Others who live with people at high risk of complications from influenza.
To make an appointment, contact your health care provider or a pharmacy.
Public health nurses administer the flu vaccine to:
- Healthy infants / children aged 6 months to 59 months (before age 5).
Eligible people who want to get their COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot can book their appointment:
with a participating pharmacy:
- for children 6 months to 5 years old
- for children 5-11 years old
- for people 12 years and older:
at a Public Health Office for children 6 months to 4 years and 11 month old, Email, or phone (1-833-437-1424).
All vaccines are offered with an appointment.
For immunocompromised, a booster dose (i.e. 4th dose) of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine can be booked if at least 5 months has passed since their 3rd dose and are 12 years of age and older. A declaration of eligibility form is not needed to book a 4th dose.
