For Immediate Release
Monday, December 12, 2022 | 10 a.m. | Windsor and Essex County
The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) R.S.O.1990 requires all students in Ontario to be up-to-date on immunizations. Public health units are to maintain and review vaccine records for every student attending school in their region and those not up-to-date can be suspended from school for up to 20 days.
As part of the continued work to prevent the spread of vaccine preventable diseases, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) completed a review of all elementary student (junior kindergarten to grade 8) immunization records. To date, there are more than 12,000 elementary school students with records considered to be incomplete. These students are either overdue for one or more vaccines or have not submitted their updated records to the Health Unit. Most of these vaccines are routinely administered by primary care providers.
Notices were distributed through the schools to affected students last week specifying which required vaccine(s) are missing from the student’s record and providing information on how to update immunization information with the Health Unit. Options for students and their families include:
- Submitting updated immunization records to the WECHU:
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Ways to Obtain/Report Updated Immunization Information to the WECHU
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Secure Online Reporting
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Phone
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519-960-0231 ext. 1222 or
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Fax
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519-258-7288
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- Contacting their health care provider to obtain information and any missing vaccinations.
- Booking an appointment at a WECHU Immunization Clinic:
- The WECHU is hosting daily clinics at the Health Unit offices by appointment only. Public health nurses will be available to update the student’s immunization record and/or administer vaccines if needed. An appointment can be booked online at or by calling 519-258-2146 Ext. 1222.
Students with incomplete immunization records on March 16, 2023 will receive a suspension notice, suspending them from school for up to 20 days.
For more information on vaccines and school vaccine requirements, visit the WECHU website.