About 6,000 students need immunization records updated: public health

About 6,000 students could face suspension if their vaccination status isn’t updated with Lambton public health, a health unit spokesperson says.

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Required under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, students need to be vaccinated – or have a valid exemption – against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease and varicella, said health protection supervisor Crystal Palleschi.

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That information isn’t automatically added to public health’s records after immunization, she said. People need to let public health know.

So, if people get a letter about facing suspension, they need to act, she said.

“They might get a letter, think they’re up to date and not take action,” Palleschi said.

“But we really want them to follow up.”

Notices were being sent out starting the week of Jan. 8, she said.

If vaccination records aren’t updated, Step 2 is a suspension order in early February, and then – again, if no action is taken – suspension takes effect March 5, she said.

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Suspension is for up to 20 days, after which “the medical officer of health would reassess and determine what to do next,” Palleschi said, noting that’s rare.

There have been no suspensions since the 2019-20 school year, when there were 98, after about 2,600 students received notices.

When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold and learning went virtual, the suspension program was paused.

In 2022-23, though learning had summarized in person, “we wanted to give parents enough time after the pandemic to catch up and postpone their immunizations,” so the suspension-program pause continuedPalleschi said.

There were about 6,600 students who received notices then, and although that number hasn’t dropped much in a year – even amid catch-up clinics and reminder notices – “it is a requirement under the Immunization of School Pupils Act to enforce this and to suspend,” Palleschi said.

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“So, this year we decided it is time to do so, even though the numbers haven’t gone down.”

Plans are to hold catch-up clinics again in high schools starting Jan. 18, she said.

“We know that it’s over twice as much as we would have in a regular year, so we’re just trying to prepare for that, have more staff prepared to assess records, answer calls and work at these clinics,” she said.

“We know that it’s going to be busier, but we feel like … we’ll be able to get most of the kids off the list before the suspension date with the capacity that we have.”

About 60 per cent receiving notices are elementary school students, she said.

Historically, most who receive notices have their immunizations, and just need to update their records with public health, she said.

“I’d expect that a large number will just need to report,” Palleschi said.

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