Immunization of School Pupils Act – School Suspensions

In Ontario, as per the Immunization of School Pupils Act, all students between the age of 4-17 must provide proof of routine childhood immunization with Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningitis, and Varicella (for children born in 2010 and after) in order to attend school. This information is used to help protect students and the public in case there is a vaccine preventable disease outbreak in our community. The Health Unit is mandated to enforce the Immunization of School Pupils Act, and assess the immunization status of children in accordance with the Immunization for Children in Schools and Licensed Child Care Settings Protocol, 2018.

Each year, the Brant County Health Unit assesses the immunization records of students around the age of 7 and the age of 17 to ensure students are compliant with immunization requirements. Students who fail to provide proof of immunization, or a valid exemption, may be suspended from school for up to 20 school days. This year (2022-2023 school year) the focused cohorts were the following birth years: 2005, 2006, 2014, 2015.

A first assessment of immunization records is completed in July and 1st notices sent out to students whose records with the health unit are incomplete. This 1st notice provides information on how to obtain any missing immunizations and/or update immunization records with the health unit. A second assessment of records is completed in January/February and 2nd notices sent out to students whose records are still showing incomplete. The 2nd notice is sent with a school suspension order which will take effect on April 13th, 2023.

Important Note

School suspension effective April 13 for 2005 cohort

The Brant County Health Unit recognizes that given the challenges in accessing primary health care and immunization services during the COVID-19 pandemic, more time may be needed for students to update their immunization records with public health and/or catch up on these mandatory immunizations. As a result, at this time the Brant County Health Unit has decided to only enforce school suspensions for students with a birth date in 2005 as this is their final year of high school and our last opportunity for intervention. Please note, deferral of school suspension for students with a birth date in 2006, 2014 and 2015 is temporary. These students may continue to attend school at this time but will remain eligible for suspension at a future date until their immunization record is updated, or a valid exemption is on file. An updated suspension order will be sent out when applicable.

If you have contacted the Health Unit after receiving a notice letter and are waiting for a call back, please be aware that we are currently receiving a high volume of calls. We will return your call as soon as possible and ensure your child's immunizations are reviewed and updated as needed, but please be advised that this may take several days.

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

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

Reminders:

Only students that are missing information/vaccines will receive a letter
Students require a booster dose of Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis between 14-16 years of age
It is the parent or caregiver's responsibility to report their child's immunizations to the Health Unit, physicians are not required to do this and often do not
You can view and report your immunization records to the Brant County Health Unit atwww.bchu.org/emunization
Proof of COVID-19 vaccines is currently not a requirement to attend school and does not need to be reported.

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:

1. Your child received this required vaccine, but the Health Unit has not been given a record of it.

2. Your child has not received the required vaccine.

3. Your child has received the vaccine but not at the right time (as per Ontario's Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule). 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.

4. A valid medical exemption or conscious/religious exemption for immunization has not been submitted to the Health Unit.

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) at 4 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.

My child has already had a required vaccine. What should I do? (How to report immunizations to the health unit)

If your child has received the required vaccine and it was given at the right time according to the Ontario's Publicly Funded Immunization Schedule, please 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 for this record. Vaccines can be reported to the health unit by any of the following methods:

Online:

www.bchu.org/emunization

Phone:

519-753-4937 ext. 451

In Person:

194 Terrace Hill St., Brantford
Mon.– Fri., 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

After hours:

Drop box located outside front entrance, near McMurray St.

Mail:

194 Terrace Hill St., Brantford

Fax:

519-753-2140

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

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

Doesn't my familt doctor send immunization records to the Health Unit?

It is a parent or caregiver's responsibility to provide the Health Unit with their child's immunization information when attending daycare and/or school. Doctors are not required to do this for you.
Every time your child receives an immunization, make sure to report this to the Health Unit.

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 Family Doctor: Contact your family doctor's office to book an appointment for immunization – it is often helpful to bring the received notice letter with you so the required vaccines can be reviewed. Once the vaccination is received, be sure to report it to the Health Unit. Note: For Students 12 years and older who require immunization against Meningococcal disease, family doctors must special order this vaccine from the health unit, please let them know ahead of time when booking this appointment. Students can also receive this vaccine at a Health Unit clinic or their high school clinic.
The Health Unit: The Health Unit will be holding clinics onsite at high schools (no appointment required) and will also be hosting a number of catch-up clinics at the Health Unit – see tabs below for further clinic details.

High School Clinics

The Brant County Health Unit will be offering a clinic at each high school for students born in 2005 and 2006 who received a notification letter. Students do not need to book an appointment. As per the Health Care Consent Act, informed consent for vaccine administration 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

Tuesday, February 14: Pauline Johnson Collegiate VS
Wednesday, February 15: Tollgate Technological Skills Centre
Thursday, February 16: St. John's College
Friday, February 17: Brantford Collegiate Institute
Wednesday, February 21: North Park Collegiate VS
Thursday, February 22: Paris District High School (CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, RESCHEDULE DATE TBD)
Friday, February 23: Assumption College School

Brant County Health Unit ISPA Catch-Up Immunization Clinics

Brant County Health Unit will be holding several immunization clinics at the Health Unit for any elementary student facing a barrier to getting in with their family doctor and any high school student unable to attend their school-based clinic.

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
Health card number
Daytime telephone number where you can be reached
Preferred clinic date and time

BCHU Clinic Dates

Tues Feb 28th - 3pm-6pm
Saturday March 4th - 10am-2pm
Monday March 13th - 1pm-4pm (March Break)
Thursday March 16th - 9am-12pm (March Break)
Wednesday March 29th - 3pm-6pm
Tuesday April 11th - 3pm-6pm

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

If your child cannot receive the required vaccine(s) for a medical reason (evidence of existing immunity, health condition, or serious allergy), you must have your family doctor or nurse practitioner complete a Medical Exemption Form and provide this record to the Health Unit.

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, please be advised:

Your child may expose people with weaker immune systems to vaccine preventable diseases that can make them very sick (e.g. newborns, cancer patients, older adults).
Your child is at risk of becoming very sick with vaccine preventable diseases.
If there is a disease outbreak at your child's school, the Medical Officer of Health may order your child not to attend school until the outbreak ends.

To register an exemption from vaccination for your child due to conscience or religious belief, you will be required to complete the following:

1. Complete an Immunization Education Session through the health unit which 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. These sessions are offered several times a year and can be completed virtually or in-person as needed.

2. Complete a Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief Affidavit and get it signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario. The Vaccine Education Certificate must 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 (please note, there is NO FEE associated with this service)
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 the original copy of the signed Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form and Vaccine Education Certificate to the Health Unit – we will take a photocopy of these records and provide you back with the original documents. Note: It is your responsibility to keep these documents for future reference as needed.

Reports