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home / 世界杯决赛2022

thousands of unvaxxed local students still risk school suspension

to avoid suspension, the health unit advises booking an appointment at one of its clinics for any missing vaccinations or to update records.

by doug schmidt

sep 7 2022
read time 2 minute read
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immunization cards are shown in this sept. 2, 2016 photo. nick brancaccio / windsor star
it might be return-to-school week, but thousands of students in windsor and essex county might be out of classes soon again unless they can update their vaccination status in the coming days.
as of tuesday, more than 3,200 local high school students remained under threat of suspension as the windsor-essex county health unit still awaits their confirmation of up-to-date vaccinations required to attend school in ontario.
that figure was down substantially from the more than 7,800 notices the health unit sent out just over a month ago to local secondary students prior to organizing a series of catch-up clinics.
but the clock is ticking. the remainder who received suspension notices earlier this year have until sept. 12 at 6 p.m. to show up-to-date immunization records or receive 20-day school suspensions beginning sept. 14.
the measure is part of the health unit’s enforcement efforts under the province’s immunization of school pupils act, which requires students to have shots against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chickenpox), and meningococcal disease.

the the list of diseases and viruses for which preventative immunizations are mandatory does not include the vaccine targeting the covid-19 coronavirus, but it’s the current pandemic that’s being blamed in part for the large number of threatened suspensions. since the spring of 2020, covid-19 has caused major disruptions to in-person learning and the normal way students would receive the mandatory vaccines.

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to avoid suspension, the health unit advises booking an appointment at one of its clinics for any missing vaccinations or to update records. those records can also be updated online or by phoning 519-960-0231.
or, families can contact their health-care provider to forward immunization records to wechu and/or receive missing vaccinations.
the local health unit is offering several walk-in immunization clinics over the coming days.
windsor’s holy names catholic high school, 1400 northwood st., is hosting a review and immunization clinic on thursday from 2:45 to 5 p.m. for any grade 9 to 12 students who received a health unit suspension order.
two other clinics are being offered on friday, at ecole secondaire l’essor, 13605 st. gregory’s rd., from 1 to 4 p.m.; and riverside secondary school, 8465 jerome st., from 12 to 5 p.m.
no appointment is required, but bring the letter you received from the health unit and your yellow personal immunization card. students consenting to be vaccinated need to show id, such as health card, birth certificate, passport, driver’s licence or student card. nurses will be on-site to review student immunization records.
dschmidt@postmedia.com
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doug schmidt
doug schmidt

doug schmidt — email: dschmidt@postmedia.com — is a reporter and senior copy editor at the windsor star. current focuses include the courts beat and assisting with editing stories for print and online editions. before joining the windsor star in 1995, schmidt spent a decade at community newspapers across canada, from b.c. and ontario to canada’s north. his news coverage has garnered many journalism awards and taken him from grise fiord in the high arctic to afghanistan and taiwan — though he concentrates on the news-rich environment of windsor and essex county and goes by the motto #localnewsmatters.

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