The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit is asking parents to be patient if they are trying to update their child's immunization records.
The deadline to report immunizations was Tuesday, March 7th, and the health unit is currently handling a large influx of calls. Students that are not up to date are suspended from school and sent home until they get their shots and their immunization records caught up.
"We are working as fast as we can, and a bit longer days here too," said Carina Caryn, Program Manager for the School Health Team. "We are working as hard as we can, and in the order that things are being reported to us. Rest assured we will get to it, it's just taking us a little longer than it has in previous years to get all those kids cleared up."
Caryn said the pandemic caused a lot of students to fall behind on their immunizations, adding that for many students, it's just a paperwork issue.
"We're finding a lot it's just a reporting issue, not that they're not up to date. But they haven't reported it to us, and we can't consider someone up to date until we have those immunizations in our system," said Caryn.
There are four ways to report a child's immunizations. You can do that online at www.chatham-kent.ca/vaccinations, by emailing reportshots@chatham-kent.ca, by faxing 519-436-3214, or by calling 519-352-7270 ext. 2457.
The Chatham-Kent Public Health Unit can also help any student that needs to get caught up.
"We are running clinics every day this week and every day next week," said Caryn. "We do ask that appointments are booked for those, just so that we can manage the volume appropriately and get people in and out as quick as we can."
To book an appointment with the health unit, you can call 519-352-7270 ext 2457.
