Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on routine immunization coverage in children under 2 years old in Ontario, Canada: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

Childhood immunization coverage rates for children under 2 years in Ontario decreased significantly during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic and only partially recovered during the rest of 2020. Public health and educational interventions for providers and parents are needed to ensure adequate catch-up of delayed/missed immunizations to prevent potential outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.