Students who aren't up to date with their immunizations will start to receive suspension notices by the end of the month.
Enforcement of immunization legislation for schools was paused in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Porcupine Health Unit is now enforcing it again, and is reminding people that it's mandatory for all students to have up-to-date immunizations or a valid exemption on file to attend classes in person.
"Vaccinations play a pivotal role in protecting the health and safety of our students from vaccine preventable diseases. We provided an additional year after the pandemic for families to bring their children’s immunization records up-to-date, aligning with health units across the province in the gradual re-introduction of the ISPA program," said Lianne Catton, PHU medical officer of health, in a news release.
Families with incomplete vaccinations are being notified. By the end of April, the health unit says suspension notices will be issued to students who have not updated their vaccines or received a valid exemption.
The valid exemptions include medical, religious or personal reasons. More details on them are available here.
The vaccines required are diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, pertussis (whooping cough), and varicella (chickenpox).
"The PHU immunization team is committed to supporting families and students every step of the way, whether it's helping to navigate the process of booking a vaccination appointment, updating immunization records, or guiding families through the exemption process if necessary. We're here to assist families in meeting their needs and ensuring their children can continue their education without interruption," said Kendra Luxmore, manager of immunizations.
