Suspensions Begin September 26th For Students With Incomplete Immunization Records

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The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit is warning that beginning Monday, September 26th, 2016, students born in 2008 with incomplete immunization records will be suspended from school for up to 20 days.

The health unit says that they have been reviewing the immunization records of all children registered with local school boards, and that students born in 2008 with incomplete immunization records received an immunization notice earlier this year and were informed of the upcoming suspension.

“It’s important for the Health Unit to have up-to-date immunization records for all students,” said Judy Allen, manager of the Healthy Schools program at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. “We will be providing extra immunization clinics, including evening clinics to assist those who do not have a primary health care provider to get missing vaccines before the suspension date.”

There are nine immunizations required for school aged children for diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, and varicella (chickenpox).

Officials say that it is the parent or student’s personal responsibility to keep immunization records up-to-date with the Health Unit. Health care providers are not required to forward this information to the Health Unit. An additional option is to complete an exemption form, which can be obtained by calling the health unit or visiting www.wechu.org.

There are four ways to update immunization records:

• Call the Healthy Schools Department at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit at 519-258-2146 or 1-800-265-5822 and select extension 1222
• Fax the immunization record to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit to 519-258-7288
• Input the information online to the secure reporting system at immune.wechu.org
• Bring the updated immunization record to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit in person to one of the following locations between the hours of 8:30am to 4:30pm from Monday through Friday:
  Windsor: 1005 Ouellette Avenue
  Essex: 360 Fairview Avenue West, Suite 215
  Leamington: 33 Princess Street

Once updated vaccine information is provided to the Health Unit, the student’s immunization record will be updated and the student, parents and guardians, and the school principal will be informed that the suspension has been lifted and the child can return to school.