Toronto: To raise awareness of the importance of child-age immunizations for diseases including Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Meningococcal Disease, Pertussis (whooping cough) and Varicella (chickenpox), parents and guardians have been reminded by a campaign launched by Toronto Public Health (TPH) and the requirement for Toronto families to report students’ immunization records to TPH, a news release reported.
“As of July 10, 55 percent of Toronto students (173,000) from JK to grade 12 in publicly-funded schools were not up-to-date on vaccines or had not updated their records with TPH as required by the Immunization of Schools Pupils Act (ISPA). As of October 7, 80 percent of students in grades 1 and 2 were non-compliant with the ISPA. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates in students were much higher.”
Parents or guardians with children in grades 1 and 2 will receive letters this week reminding them to ensure thier their child’s immunization records are updated; and to to a health care provider to get vaccinated for missing vaccines, and report their child’s required immunizations to TPH.
Later this fall, parents, and guardians of students in grades 11 and 12 would be receiving a similar letter requiring the same information.
Parents and guardians can update their child’s vaccination record online on the City of Toronto’s Report Student Immunization webpage.
Families can also call Toronto Health Connections for more information at 416-338-7600.
Routine childhood vaccines are received through a family’s primary care provider. Families without a regular provider can seek assistance from Health Care Connect Ontario.
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