For Immediate Release
Monday, August 8, 2022 | 10:00 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 secondary student immunization records in June and initial notices were provided to individuals with records considered to be incomplete. These students were either overdue for one or more vaccines, or they have not submitted their updated records to the Health Unit.
As the next step of the ISPA enforcement process, approximately 7858 suspension orders have now been issued, providing options for students to get any missing immunizations and update their immunization records. This order notifies students that their records must be updated to the WECHU by Monday, September 12, at 6:00 p.m. or the students will be suspended for up to 20 days, starting Wednesday, September 14, 2022.
Catch-up immunization clinics are being offered at the WECHU offices and across various locations in Windsor and Essex County, and will continue for the rest of the summer. Families can visit our website, www.wechu.org to book an immunization or to submit immunization records online. Families can also call the WECHU at 519-258-2146, ext. 4500 to book an appointment.
For more information on school immunizations and the suspension process, visit the WECHU website.