27 Nov 2008
SIMCOE MUSKOKA – A Dec. 16 deadline is fast approaching for parents of elementary school students to submit their children’s immunization records, or their children face suspension from school.
Meanwhile, a first warning notice about updating records is going out this week to parents of high school students from selected schools. High school students have until early spring to get their records updated.
The suspensions are part of annual efforts by the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit to obtain complete up-to-date records of all students on the status of their immunizations for measles, mumps, rubella, tetanus, diphtheria and polio. The health unit is required to keep the records under the Immunization of School Pupils Act.
“Whether the parents opt to have the immunizations for their kids or obtain valid exemption forms, we need up-to-date records to protect the health of all students in school,” says Laurie Stanford, manager of the vaccine preventable disease program at the health unit. “In the event that there is an outbreak of one of the listed diseases, we can quickly pinpoint which students are not vaccinated and take measures to protect them from becoming infected.”
More than 1,000 orders to parents of elementary school students went out several weeks ago. However, Stanford says that once the health unit works with the parents, they learn that very little is needed to update the records. As a result, very few students are actually forced into a period of suspension.
For secondary school students who wish to have their immunizations updated, the health unit arranges immunization clinics on high school property. Parents can take elementary-aged children to regular health unit immunization clinics, or arrange to have the shots given by their family health care provider.
Immunization records are normally kept on yellow cards available through the health unit or personal health care providers.
For more information on vaccines and student immunization records, visit the health unit website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org, or call Your Health Connection weekdays at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520.
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