CK Public Health (CKPH) is awaiting the homework of parents and guardians for 1,686 local students.
On January 6, the health unit began notifying families that immunization records must be complete before March 4, or students will face suspension.
The number of notices is down slightly from the last school year, when 1,733 families were sent notices.
In order to attend school in Ontario, students must comply with the Immunization of School Pupils Act, 1990 (ISPA), which requires them to be vaccinated against a number of illnesses, or have a valid exemption.
This includes Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningococcal disease, and Varicella.
"It is crucial for parents to realize that immunization records are not automatically reported by health care providers," CKPH said in a media release. "Thus, parents may receive a first notice letter even if their child has received all required vaccinations."
If your child is missing a required vaccine, CKPH suggests contacting your healthcare provider or the CK Public Health School Health Team for clinic options.
If you have received a notice and you believe you have already updated your child's records, there are a number of ways to reach out to CKPH.
Options include:
by mail or in-person at 435 Grand Ave East, Chatham
by phone at 519-352-7270 ext. 2457
A notice letter is the first stage of the ISPA process. A suspension order will follow at the end of January, if records are not completed before then.
"Students are off school until they either complete vaccinations and report to CK Public Health or go through the appropriate exemption process," CKPH said of suspensions beyond the March 4 deadline. Adding that the ISPA process applies to both public and private schools.
