Southeast Public Health (SEPH) is reminding parents and guardians to ensure their school-aged children are fully immunized and have up-to-date vaccination records or valid exemptions on file. Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), all students must be immunized or exempt for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, pertussis, meningococcal disease, and varicella.
Students who do not meet ISPA requirements may be suspended from school for up to 20 days. SEPH will begin reviewing immunization records this school year, with notices sent to students in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties starting in November, and to those in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, Hastings and Prince Edward Counties in January.
Parents are encouraged to check their child’s immunization status early and report any updates to SEPH. Health-care providers do not automatically submit vaccine records, so it is the responsibility of parents to ensure information is current.
(By: Tim Baltz)