Three thousand secondary school students to receive suspension orders this week
Public Health will deliver 3046 suspension orders this week for students enrolled in secondary school who still have immunization records that are not up-to-date with Region of Waterloo Public Health.
These suspension orders will take effect on May 11, 2016. Students/parents who receive a suspension order still have three weeks to submit up-to-date records or receive the required immunizations. A list of walk-in clinics at Region of Waterloo Public Health can be found at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/vaccineschedulesecondaryschools.
Region of Waterloo Public Health is required to collect and maintain the immunization records of all students (under the age of 18) attending school in Waterloo Region. This is done to ensure the immunization status of all students is up-to-date in the event of a vaccine preventable disease outbreak.
The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires students to be immunized against a variety of diseases. Records of immunization must be provided to Public Health directly. If students do not provide an up-to-date immunization record or legal exemption, they will face suspension from school for up to 20 days or until documentation is provided to Public Health.
In late 2015 and early 2016, Public Health mailed 9258 notices to secondary students to notify them that their immunization records were not up-to-date according to the Immunization of School Pupils Act. The suspension orders are a follow-up to this communication.
Students 16 years of age and older or parents of students under 16 years of age may contact their health care provider to obtain immunization records or to update immunization records with Public Health.
For more information, please contact our Vaccine Information Line at 519-575-4400 ext. 13009.
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Media contact: Kirsten Keil-Mehlenbacher, Coordinator, Health Communications, 519-575-4400, ext. 2244, kkeil-mehlenbacher@regionofwaterloo.ca