Hepatitis B vaccine: infant or school dose by province

Eight Canadian provinces and territories give hepatitis B vaccine to babies as part of the routine schedule, while five rely on school programs in Grade 6 or 7, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s national comparison table, last updated in August.

Where a child lives decides when the shots happen. A baby in New Brunswick gets the first dose at birth, while a child in Ontario waits until Grade 7.

Hepatitis B is a liver infection caused by a virus that spreads through contact with infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or other body fluids, the agency says. It can also pass from a pregnant person to the baby during pregnancy or birth, and between people who live in the same household. Many people have no symptoms or only mild ones, but a long-lasting infection can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer or the need for a liver transplant.

The agency describes the infection as vaccine-preventable. Public health advice is that babies born to a person with hepatitis B should get the vaccine and hepatitis B immune globulin as soon as possible after birth, and finish the series at six months. Household members, sexual partners and drug-use partners of someone diagnosed with the virus should be offered the vaccine after they are notified and tested.

The routine schedules below come from the federal government’s table of provincial and territorial programs for infants and children. Provinces can change their programs, so check with your local public health unit for the current rules and for any catch-up options.

The table shows two broad approaches. Some jurisdictions vaccinate in the first months of life, using either a stand-alone hepatitis B vaccine or a combination vaccine that also protects against other childhood diseases. Others offer two doses to students in Grade 6 or 7, when children are older and fewer doses are needed.

British Columbia

B.C. gives hepatitis B protection to babies through a combination vaccine called DTaP-HB-IPV-Hib. It is listed at ages two, four and six months.

Alberta

Alberta also uses the combination vaccine at two, four and six months. The table also lists a Grade 6 catch-up with two doses and notes that a specific catch-up program is currently underway.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan lists a school-based program in Grade 6, with two doses.

Manitoba

Manitoba also schedules two doses in Grade 6.

Ontario

Ontario’s routine program is in school, with two doses in Grade 7. Ontario is one of the places where the first routine hepatitis B dose comes years after infancy.

Quebec

Quebec lists the combination vaccine for babies at two and four months. Students can also catch up in the third year of secondary school, where the province provides missed vaccines such as those against hepatitis A and B.

New Brunswick

New Brunswick starts at birth. The table lists hepatitis B vaccine at birth, two months and six months.

Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia gives two doses in Grade 7.

Prince Edward Island

P.E.I. uses the combination vaccine at two, four and six months.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador gives two doses in Grade 6.

Yukon

Yukon uses the combination vaccine at two, four and six months.

Northwest Territories

The territory lists hepatitis B vaccine at birth, one month and six months.

Nunavut

Nunavut lists doses at birth, one month and nine months.

Parents who are unsure whether a child received the vaccine can check the immunization record, which is often held by a family doctor or the local public health unit. People who missed hepatitis B vaccine in childhood should ask a doctor or pharmacist whether they qualify for it. Rules for adults vary by province. For other school and infant programs, see our guides to the HPV vaccine in schools, the meningococcal vaccine and the rotavirus vaccine for babies, and our explainer on what your pharmacist can prescribe.

This article is based on official guidance from the Public Health Agency of Canada and is provided for general public information. It’s not a substitute for medical advice, if you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

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Sources: Public Health Agency of Canada, Provincial and territorial routine vaccination programs for infants and children; Public Health Agency of Canada, Hepatitis B.