Post-COVID-19 pandemic inequities in routine childhood immunization in Canada: racial disparities in uptake of polio, meningococcal conjugate, and varicella vaccines.

Publication date: Jul 20, 2026

Decline in routine childhood vaccination coverage in Canada has accelerated following the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing risks of vaccine-preventable diseases. Yet, little is known about how this affects different racial groups. This study examines racial disparities in uptake of childhood polio, meningococcal, and varicella vaccines, and the roles of health literacy and conspiracy beliefs. We conducted a national survey that included 2,528 Canadian parents of children aged 0-12 years. Parents reported their child’s vaccination status and completed measures of health literacy and COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs. Associations between parental racial category, sociodemographic characteristics and vaccine uptake were assessed using Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression models. Overall vaccine uptake rates were 76. 8% for polio, 73. 1% for meningococcal conjugate, and 76. 7% for varicella. Children of racialized parents had consistently lower vaccination coverage compared with children of White parents. Lower odds of polio and meningococcal vaccination were reported among children of Arab (aOR: 0. 47-0. 58), Asian (aOR: 0. 36-0. 45), Black (aOR: 0. 63-0. 69), and Indigenous parents (aOR: 0. 54-0. 60) compared to their White counterparts. Regarding varicella vaccination, uptake was significantly lower among children of Arab (aOR: 0. 54, p

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Semantics

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