Suspension

Important Note

If you received a letter about your child's immunizations, have contacted the Health Unit, and are waiting for a call back please be aware that we are currently receiving a high volume of calls.

To serve you better please leave one message with the following information:

Child's name (with spelling)
Child's date of birth
Your daytime phone number
Detailed question

We will return your call as soon as possible, but please be advised that this may take several days.

You have until April 6 at 3 p.m. to report your child's missing immunization information outlined in the letter. In the meantime, your child is able to attend school. If the missing information is not provided, student suspension will begin on April 7, 2020.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Suspension Letters

On February 4, 2020 suspension letters were mailed to the homes of students born in 2002, 2003, and 2012 who, according to Health Unit records, need immunization against one or more of the diseases listed below:

Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Meningitis (meningococcal disease)
Varicella (chicken pox) (for children born in 2010 and after)

Students who do not comply with the suspension order will be suspended beginning April 7, 2020.

Reporting Vaccinations

Students who received a suspension letter and need to update their records can report their vaccinations by:

Online
Phone: 519-753-4937 ext. 451
Fax: 519-753-2140
Mail/In person: 194 Terrace Hill St., Brantford, ON N3R 1G7
Drop box: Located outside east entrance door (Terrace Hill St. and McMurray St.) (drop off copy of yellow card/immunization record or printout of immunization record)

When reporting immunizations to the Brant County Health Unit, please include:

Correct spelling of child’s name
Date of birth
Daytime phone number
Date and name of vaccine given
Name and phone number of family doctor (if applicable)

Get Vaccinated

Students who received a suspension order and need immunization but are unable to visit their doctor can book an appointment at the Brant County Health Unit. High school students are encouraged to receive their missing vaccines at a clinic at their school. No appointment is required.

High School Clinics

The Brant County Health Unit will be offering a clinic at each high school for students born in 2002 and 2003 who received a suspension order. Students do not need to book an appointment. As per the Health Care Consent Act, informed consent will be obtained from the student.

All clinics will take place in the morning, during school hours. Students are encouraged to listen carefully to the school announcements on the day of their school clinic to determine when and where to go for their immunizations. Students should eat breakfast, wear a short sleeve shirt, and read the related vaccine fact sheet(s) prior to getting their immunizations(s). Please call 519-753-4937 ext. 451 should you have any questions or speak to the nurse on clinic day.

High School Clinic Schedule

Monday, February 24: St. John's College (Gym)
Tuesday, February 25: Paris District High School (Small Gym)
Wednesday, February 26: North Park Collegiate VS (Gym C)
Thursday, February 27: Brantford Collegiate Institute (Cafeteria)
Tuesday, March 3: Tollgate Technological Skills Centre (Gym)
Tuesday, March 3: Pauline Johnson Collegiate VS (Small Gym)
Wednesday, March 4: Assumption College School (Gym #1)

Brant County Health Unit Immunization Clinics

To book an appointment call 519-753-4937 ext. 451. Please include these details in your message:

Student’s first and last name
Date of birth
Daytime telephone number where you can be reached
Preferred clinic date and time

BCHU Clinic Dates

March 11, 2020 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
March 25, 2020 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30a.m.

Suspension FAQs

Why does the Health Unit need my child’s immunization information?

Ontario's Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) requires all students 4 to 17 years old to provide proof of immunization to their local health unit. Health units use this information to prevent the spread of many serious diseases. Students who fail to provide proof of immunization, or a valid exemption, may be suspended from school for up to 20 school days.

What immunization information is required by law?

The Health Unit requires proof of immunization against the diseases listed below. To meet these requirements vaccines must be given according to Ontario’s Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule. As your child gets older, new immunizations are required. For example, students require a tetanus booster (TdaP-IPV) between 4-6 years of age and another one 10 years later (Tdap).

According to Ontario's Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), students must be fully immunized against the following diseases:

Diphtheria
Tetanus
Pertussis (whooping cough)
Polio
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Meningitis (meningococcal disease)
Varicella (chicken pox) (for children born in 2010 and after)

You can also visit our Vaccine Fact Sheets page to learn more about the required vaccines.

What does the immunization reminder letter I received for my child mean?

This means that according to Health Unit records, your child is missing a required vaccine that is part of Ontario’s Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule. The reason you are receiving this letter is likely for one of four reasons:

Your child received this vaccine, but the Health Unit has not been given a record of it.
Your child has not received the required vaccine.
Your child has not received the vaccine at the right time. To get the best protection possible, the age that a vaccine is given is important as is the timing between vaccines. For example, all children must have two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine given on or after their first birthday and with the two doses at least four weeks apart.
A valid exemption has not been submitted to the Health Unit.

Doesn’t my family doctor send immunization records to the Health Unit?

It is a parent’s responsibility to provide the Health Unit with their child’s immunization information. Doctors are not required to do this for you. Every time your child receives an immunization, make sure to let the Health Unit know (see Vaccine Reporting tab).

My child has already had a required vaccine. What should I do?

If your child has received the required vaccine and it was given at the right time, report this information to the Health Unit. If you don’t know when the vaccine was given, check your child’s immunization record (yellow card) or call your family doctor (see Vaccine Reporting tab).

My child needs one or more required vaccine(s). What should I do?

All required immunizations are free. You can receive missing vaccines from:

Your Doctor: Once the vaccination is received, be sure to report it to the Health Unit (see Vaccine Reporting tab). Note: Students 12 years and older who require immunization against Meningococcal disease (Menactra®) must receive their vaccine at a Health Unit clinic or their high school clinic.
The Health Unit: The Health Unit is holding extra clinics for those who received a suspension order and are not able to see their family doctor to get missing vaccines. To book an appointment call 519-753-4937 ext. 451.

My child can't receive required vaccine(s) due to health reasons. What should I do?

If your child cannot receive the required vaccine because of a health condition or serious allergy, you must have your doctor complete a Medical Exemption Form and bring it to the Health Unit (see the Immunization Exemptions tab).

I don't want my child to receive vaccine(s) for conscience/religious belief. What should I do?

If you choose not to have your child immunized due to conscience or religious belief, you will be required to complete the following:

1. Attend an education session, by appointment only, at the health unit covers:

Basic information about immunization
Vaccine safety
Immunization and community health
Immunization law in Ontario

Once complete, you will be provided a Vaccine Education Certificate.

Call 519-753-4937 ext. 451 to book an appointment. Please be advised, there will be no appointments available between March 30 and April 7. Appointments for an education session will resume on April 8, 2020.

2. Complete a Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavitand get it signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario. The Vaccine Education Certificate should also be brought to the commissioner to demonstrate the completion of the required education session as outlined on the affidavit.

Persons authorized to sign affidavits for exemptions include:

clerk, deputy clerk, or treasurer of local municipality
administrative head (building standards, welfare, assessment or planning)
head of municipal council
member of city council
reeve or deputy reeve of town
provincial judge or justice of the peace
lawyer

3. Present your original signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and Vaccine Education Certificate to the Health Unit. It is your responsibility to keep these documents for future reference.

Unimmunized students are at increased risk of getting sick with and spreading vaccine preventable diseases. In the event of a disease outbreak, unprotected students will be excluded from school for the duration of the outbreak to help protect unimmunized children from getting or spreading the disease (see the Immunization Exemptions tab).

Links and Resources

If you have any more questions about immunization requirements and school suspension, please call 519-753-4937 ext. 451 and we will return your call as soon as possible.

Reports

​Suspension

Suspension