More than 100 Highlands students are facing a school suspension after the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (HKPR) district health unit last week issued a final warning for parents to update their child’s immunization records.
The Immunization of School Pupils Act requires all students in Ontario to be vaccinated, or have a valid exemption, against tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal disease, and varicella.
HKPR is mandated by the Ontario government to maintain and review vaccine records for every student attending school in Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland and Haliburton County, said health unit spokesperson Ashley Beaulac. Anyone with an incomplete record is at risk of being suspended from school for up to 20 days, or until health records are updated, she noted.
The unit mailed out 1,374 suspension notices to parents of students in Grade 3 and Grades 9 to 12, who do not meet the current requirements – including 103 in the County.
“Most students who receive notices do have their immunizations and just need to update their records with the health unit, as we do not receive updates from health care providers,” said Marianne Rock, manager of communicable disease prevention and control with HKPR. “We are here to support families by helping parents complete their child’s immunization record, whether that be updating the incomplete file or booking an appointment at a clinic to receive a missing vaccination.”
Records can be checked online via the Immunization Connect Ontario portal (hkpr. icon.ehealthontario.ca), or by contacting HKPR at 866-888-4577 ext. 1507, or immunization@hkpr.on.ca.
An immunization clinic has been scheduled in Haliburton Jan. 26, running from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the HKPR office on Highland Street. There are clinics in Lindsay Jan. 22, 24 and 29. Appointments can be booked online via the HKPR website, or by calling 1-866-888-4577 ext. 1507.
Dr. Natalie Bocking, HKPR medical officer of health, said the unit is still playing catchup after the immunization program was paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. It resumed in fall 2022, after a two-plus year hiatus, with over 2,700 immunization records being updated since then.
She said the health unit would work with parents to ensure children are appropriately vaccinated and don’t miss out on class time.
“As part of our continued work to prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases, our teams have been working diligently with local school boards to support parents through the process… I am proud of the progress we’ve made,” Bocking said.
Any student who is still missing a vaccination by Feb. 5 could face a suspension, she said.
