With the new school year just a few weeks away, the local health unit says vaccination clinics are being held to help those aged four to 17 keep up and stay on track with their routine vaccines.
Associate medical officer of health at Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit (SMDHU), Dr. Colin Lee, says vaccines are the best line of defense for all students to stay healthy during the school year.
“Ensuring that your child’s immunizations are up to date is an effective way to avoid preventable infections that can cause serious illnesses that spread in the community and at school,” says Lee. “We have been seeing an increase in the number of students with whooping cough (pertussis) this year,” Lee says.
The health unit recommends getting immunized according to the province’s publicly funded immunization schedule.
Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act requires that students be vaccinated for tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, and meningococcal disease or have a valid exemption.
“If a child or youth has already received immunizations through their healthcare provider, parents and caregivers must update their immunization record on file with the health unit online,” say health officials.
For more information about vaccines given to students, click here.
