If parents do not provide child immunization records, prepare for a school suspension.
The North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit in conjunction with school boards across the Nipissing and Parry Sound Districts are working to ensure that the Immunization of School Pupils Act is followed. The Act states that students aged four to 17 must be vaccinated to attend school in the province and has been in place since 1990.
Public Health Nurse Elizabeth Mete says that parents should get copies of immunization records and forward them to the Health Unit on their own, should doctors’ offices either fail or forget to submit documents on behalf of patients.
In keeping with the Immunization of School Pupils Act, notices will be sent to high school students whose records are incomplete. Specifically, high school students must be up-to-date with their diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, meningitis, measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines. Parents will have until March 6th to provide the information that their child’s vaccinations are up-to-date, to avoid suspension.
“The Health Unit understands that if a student receives a notice it doesn’t necessarily mean their vaccinations are not up-to-date. The individual may have had their vaccinations done at their health care provider’s office and the information may have not been shared with the Health Unit. Sometimes parents do not realize that their child’s vaccinations are not up-to-date. This is why the Health Unit gives families two months to update their records with the Health Unit,” said Mete.
Mete added that vaccines have come a long way since the 1990s and that vaccines are much safer because they have fewer additives and preservatives in them.
According to Mete, district high schools have started to deliver information packages to parents that immunization is due. The Parry Sound High School clinic is on February 4th or parents can make an appointment with the Health Unit or with their health care provider.
If a parent chooses to have their child’s vaccinations done with their health care provider, the parent must ensure that the health care provider forwards the information to the Health Unit.
Vaccination records can be reviewed and submitted online by using the Immunization Connect Ontario Tool found here.