Thousands of London and Middlesex students remain suspended for failing to submit vaccination records.
Last month, the Middlesex London Health Authority began suspending the privileges of students attending primary or secondary school. school because it is not up to date immunity record.
The outages took place in six different cohorts between January and the end of May, vacating thousands of people without proper documentation.
Under the Ontario Pupil Immunization Act, students in grades 1 through 12 must have up-to-date immunization reports for nine preventable diseases. Local health authorities have the authority to issue school closures if a student’s vaccinations or valid exemptions are not recorded.
The diseases that students must be vaccinated against are diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, and whooping cough. Children born after 2010 should also be vaccinated against chickenpox.
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Dr Alex Summers, Middlesex London’s Health and Medical Officer, says it is not known how many students are currently suspended for lack of documentation as it is changing daily. After the first cohort he was suspended on January 18, only his 500 out of his 3,500 students who served notice of suspension remained suspended two days later.
“In the end, very few kids actually get suspended,” Summers said.
Summers said between 3,000 and 4,000 suspension notices were issued for the February cohort.
“Most people don’t choose not to be vaccinated. They’re just not used to it,” Summers said. “This process helps people get used to it.”
While the final choice is whether to vaccinate or not, Summers said policies such as Ontario’s Student Immunization Act can help prevent outbreaks of the disease.
“Vaccine-preventable diseases continue to be a risk in communities where vaccination coverage is not high enough,” Summers said.
Adherence to immunization records has declined significantly, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Compared to 2018-19, vaccines reduce adherence among 7-year-olds by 2-49%. For a 17-year-old, this percentage he has decreased between 1-45%, depending on the type of vaccine.
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Summers said it’s important to note that these numbers don’t necessarily represent the number of students who missed the shot they needed, but the number of students who didn’t have a record submitted. I’m here.
Students and their families should have been warned at least three times before a final notice was issued one day before the suspension. Letters were sent to families last school year and fall saying their child’s records were missing.
Formal notice is given one month in advance to allow time for families to obtain and submit records, as well as for students to receive immunizations or request exemptions. The final notice includes several ways for families to obtain records and get immunizations.
“We have clinics to get vaccines for children who are in short supply,” Summers said.
Summers added that the best starting point for obtaining up-to-date immunization records is to consult with your doctor. there is.
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