Despite repeated reminders, numerous elementary school students have been suspended for having incomplete immunization records.
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit announced that as of Monday morning, 1,908 students in kindergarten through Grade 8 have been told to stay home.
"The Immunization of School Pupils Act of 1990, Section 11, Subsections 1 and 2, require public health units to maintain and review vaccine records for every student attending school and to enforce a school suspension for incomplete immunization information," read a statement from the health unit. "Due to out-of-date immunization records, 1,908 elementary school students have been suspended [Monday].
Final notices had been sent to 6,600 students across the region last month. Provincial law has stated that students may be suspended for up to 20 days unless records are updated.
Once parents have provided any missing information, obtained any missing immunizations, or submitted a valid exemption, the health unit will update the record. Follow-up communication with the parents and school principal will then occur, and the student's name will be removed from the suspension list.
Immunizations can be administered by their primary health care provider or through catch-up clinics hosted by the health unit. The clinics are being offered at the health unit in Windsor and Leamington until the end of March.
---with files from Maureen Revait
