704 high school students in Waterloo region suspended for out-of-date vaccination records | CBC News
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Hundreds of high school students in Waterloo region have been temporarily suspended from school for having out-of-date vaccination records.
Region of Waterloo Public Health said in a release Thursday morning that 704 secondary school students were suspended effective immediately. The move comes after public health mailed suspension orders to more than 3,200 students whose records were out of date in early March.
“Vaccines are one of the most effective ways to protect your child from serious illness,” Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, the region’s medical officer of health, said in the release.
“Reporting your child’s vaccines and keeping them up to date helps to protect your child and the community from preventable illnesses.”
Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act requires all elementary and high school students to have proof of vaccinations or a valid exemption with public health.
Routine vaccinations include ones for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, tetanus, polio, meningitis, pertussis (also known as whooping cough) and varicella (also known as chickenpox).
Pubic health said suspended students can return to school once their vaccination records are up to date or a valid exemption has been filed.
Latest numbers consistent with previous year
Parents can report that their child has received the required vaccines online. They can also book an appointment with public health to get their children vaccinated or an exemption.
Vaccines can be accessed through a health-care provider, but call ahead to confirm vaccine availability, public health said.
It added that this year’s numbers are consistent with previous trends in Waterloo region.
Last year, 902 high school students were suspended for having out-of-date immunization records.
In January, public health reported more than 13,000 students in Waterloo region received notices: 4,385 were sent to secondary school students and approximately 9,400 notices to elementary school students.
Elementary students in Waterloo region who received notices have until May 4 to update their records. For elementary school students who don’t have updated records, suspensions will take effect on May 7.