Media Statement: Immunization Catch-Up Services for Students in Windsor and Essex County Continue over March Break

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2025 | 10:30 a.m. | Windsor and Essex County

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) continues to offer walk-in immunization services in Windsor and Leamington for students over the March Break. This includes providing missing vaccines and updating immunization records for elementary students currently suspended from school and secondary students at risk of suspension.

As of March 11^th, 2025, over 98.4% of students in Windsor and Essex County meet the requirements of the Immunization of School Pupils Act, R.S.O.1990 (ISPA). The remaining 1.6% of students are either overdue for vaccines required to attend school, or the WECHU has not received updated immunization records.

A school suspension has been in effect for some elementary students since March 3^rd, 2025. As of today, there are 203 elementary students that continue to be excluded from school due to incomplete immunization records.

In addition, there are 861 secondary students at risk of suspension from school next week. The deadline for parents/guardians to update secondary student immunization records with the WECHU is Thursday March 13^th, 2025, at 6:00pm. Students whose records are not updated with the WECHU according to the ISPA by this deadline will be suspended from school effective Monday March 17^th, 2025.

There is still time for families with secondary students across Windsor and Essex County to avoid school suspension through the following options:

1. Contact the student’s health care provider (HCP) to receive any missing immunizations and/or obtain missing immunization documents. Please share the notice received from the health unit with the HCP. Note that if you are unable to book an appointment with your HCP prior to the deadline, community walk-in clinics may offer routine immunizations. Call ahead to ensure they can provide the correct vaccine(s).

   Next, report the updated immunization information to the WECHU (see #2 below). Health care providers are not required to do this. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to report all immunizations to the WECHU. 

2. Submit updated immunization records to the WECHU using one of the following methods:
   1. Secure Online Reporting - immune.wechu.org
      Instructional video for families. Translation into multiple languages is available through closed captioning.
   2. Phone - 519-258-2146 ext. 1222
   3. Fax - 519-258-7288
   4. In Person - Windsor office: 1005 Ouellette Avenue or Leamington office: 33 Princess Street
3. Attend a WECHU walk-in immunization clinic at our Windsor or Leamington locations. For more information on these clinics, visit www.wechu.org/getimmunized. 

For additional information on school immunizations and the suspension process, visit the WECHU website.