News Release: Most Students in Windsor and Essex County are Up to Date on Required Immunizations

For Immediate Release
Monday February 24, 2025 | 10:30 a.m. | Windsor and Essex County

In the fall of 2024, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) completed a review of all student immunization records (65,635) and sent out 7,076 notices to elementary students and 4,785 notices to secondary students. These notices indicated that the students were either overdue for vaccines required to attend school as per the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) R.S.O.1990 (ISPA), or their immunization records were not updated with the WECHU.

As of February 22, 2025, over 95% of students in Windsor and Essex County meet the requirements of the ISPA. However, there are 1,700 elementary students and 1,493 secondary students that continue to be at risk of suspension from school this March. These students are missing required immunizations or have not yet submitted updated immunization records to the WECHU. 

The deadlines for parents/guardians to update student immunization records with the WECHU are quickly approaching. The deadline for elementary students is Thursday February 27^th, 2025, at 6:00pm.  The deadline for secondary students is Thursday March 13^th, 2025, at 6:00pm. Students whose records are not in compliance by these deadlines will be suspended from school effective Monday March 3^rd, 2025 (elementary) and Monday March 17^th, 2025 (secondary). 

There is still time for families 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, 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:

3. Book an immunization appointment with the WECHU by calling 519-258-2146 ext. 1222. The WECHU is offering families a variety of clinics, with some evening and Saturday appointments available.

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