More than 1,000 students in Oxford County risk expulsion from school if their parents and caregivers don't turn in immunization reports by February 19.
Oxford Public Health officials say the number of outstanding reports is a record. Joanne Andrews, program supervisor in health protection for Oxford County Public Health & Emergency Services, says there have been some changes that might be contributing to the delay.
"The province of Ontario has implemented a new immunization information system and we were one of the six health units that were on the first weave of implementation. So, last year we weren't able to do the immunization review process for students so that means that children who entered school last year and this year, we may not have an immunization record for them on file. As well, there was a change to the Immunization of School Pupils Act in July, so that means there are three additional diseases on the list of required vaccines for school attendance."
Andrews says parents can choose to opt out of having their children vaccinated for a variety of reasons but the exemption form doesn't specify whether it's a religious decision or another concern. Andrews says public health officials are closely watching the recent, unrelated cases of measles that are popping up in the Toronto area.
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Parents and caregivers in Oxford whose children's immunization records are not yet in were given a letter in December to remind them.
