The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is proposing amendments to the Immunization Regulations that make changes to the collection of information, and update which immunizations are reported to the Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO).

These amendments reflect best practice and will assist the Department of Health and Social Services in dealing with emerging diseases and immunizations in a timely manner to ensure the health of residents continues to be protected.

These changes will:

• Remove the Notifiable Immunization Schedule and update the Regulations to clarify that all immunizations administered by a health care professional are reported to the CPHO.
• Replace the use of an “approved form” for reporting with a requirement to provide the information in a manner approved by the CPHO. This better reflects changing technologies and the different ways immunizations must be reported.
• Require a health care professional who administers an immunization to ensure the following additional information is provided to the CPHO:
  • information on the trade name, expiry date and immunization series number if applicable,
  • the name and contact number of the person providing the immunization information if they are not the health care professional who administered it,
  • any recent infection related to the immunization a person has experienced,
  • information on a legal guardian’s refusal to vaccinate.
• Require a person in charge of a health care facility to inform the CPHO of any circumstances that prevented a health care professional from providing the required immunization information, and what is being done to address the issue.
• Update the language to be gender neutral.

Residents and stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the proposed amendments by visiting https://haveyoursay.nwt-tno.ca/amendments-to-the-immunization-regulations.  The Government of the Northwest Territories will be accepting input until September 3, 2023.
Amendments to the Immunization Regulations are anticipated to come into force on December 1, 2023.

For media requests, please contact:

Jeremy Bird

Manager, Communications

Health and Social Services

Government of the Northwest Territories

Jeremy_Bird@gov.nt.ca 

(867) 767-9052 ext. 49034