To attend school in Ontario, it’s the law that students must be fully immunized.
In the next few weeks, Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health (WDGPH) will be sending notices to all students with missing vaccines indicating how they can update their records.
Students need to update their records by the deadline in the notice to avoid suspension from school.
WDGPH and school boards are required to enforce the immunization requirements to protect school-aged children from diseases that can have serious complications. Public health will be working closely with school principals and students to ensure everyone is fully immunized by the deadline.
High school students will be receiving their notices this week and have until March 18 to update their records. Before the deadline, public health is encouraging high school students to attend the immunization clinic being offered at their school.
Elementary students will be notified in the coming weeks and have until April 1 to update their records.
“Parents of students with missing vaccines should make an appointment with their family doctor or public health to get their child immunized,” said Dr. Nicola Mercer, WDGPH medical officer of health and CEO.
“These vaccines protect students from communicable diseases and the school community from outbreaks.”
For more information and to report immunizations to public health use the online form at www.immunizewdg.ca.
Any student who is not being immunized for medical or other reasons needs to submit an exemption form.
The Immunization of School Pupils Act requires students in Ontario to be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease and pertussis (whooping cough).
Students born after Jan. 1, 2010 also need to be vaccinated for varicella (chicken pox).
Beginning in 2017, WDGPH is annually assessing the immunization records of students of all ages to meet the requirements of the Ontario legislation.
