Suspension notices to Ottawa students behind on vaccinations to go out this month

CTV's Shaun Vardon reports on Ottawa Public Health following up to 11,000 notices of kids that need updated vaccinations.

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) says it will start mailing out suspension notices to students who are still behind on their mandatory vaccinations over the next few months.

First notices were sent in December and January to more than 11,000 students born in either 2007 or 2017. OPH says suspension order notices, for those who do not respond to the first letters, will start being mailed out this month through April.

“OPH is actively working with community partners, including school boards, to encourage parents to update their child’s immunization record,” said interim medical officer of health Dr. Trevor Arnason at Monday’s Board of Health meeting.

“Suspension notices have proven as an effective method to promote compliance with ISPA (Immunization of School Pupils Act), and ultimately to prevent vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks, such as measles, which is again a recent concern with cases reported in Ontario.”

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Suspension of students who do not have up-to-date immunization records would start in March and continue into May. Arnason did not say how many suspension notices are expected to be issued or how many parents or guardians have updated their children’s immunization records since receiving the first notice.

“Before suspension notices are sent, OPH works to encourage compliance and promote opportunities to access routine immunizations in the community,” Arnason said.

Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, children attending school in Ontario are required to be vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, measles, mumps, rubella, and meningococcal disease. Children born in or after 2010 must also be vaccinated against varicella (chicken pox).

Speaking to CTV News Ottawa, Arnason said the number of children with out-of-date vaccination records is split fairly evenly between the two cohorts they’re focused on, seven-year-olds and 17-year-olds.

“Those two age groups are quite important. Seven because that’s early in the school years and after children would have completed their routine immunizations in childhood,” he explained. “And then 17 is the time when they need a booster vaccination and before they finish high school and we want to make sure they have the necessary vaccines updated.”

OPH says if parents or guardians receive a letter, they should first check their child’s vaccine record and compare it to Ontario’s routine immunization schedule. Next, they need to update their child’s vaccine information with OPH using the online Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) Tool or the CANImmunize App.

If their child is missing a vaccine, they should ensure their child gets vaccinated. These vaccines are available through a primary care provider, but not through a pharmacy.

For those who do not have a primary care provider, walk-in clinics may be able to provide missing vaccines. Families facing barriers to accessing routine vaccinations can book an appointment at one of the many Kids Come First - Vaccinate clinics. Additionally, OPH offers drop-in clinics at the Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hubs.

--With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Shaun Vardon