Toronto Public Health (TPH) is stepping up efforts this fall to ensure that thousands of students in Toronto are compliant with mandatory vaccinations before heading back to school.
As part of the push for the upcoming school year, TPH is enforcing Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act, which mandates vaccinations against nine preventable diseases, such as measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and chicken pox for children born after 2010.
Dr. Vinita Dubey, Toronto’s Associate Medical Officer of Health, revealed that approximately 140,000 students were found to be behind on their measles vaccinations. TPH has sent out notices to these families, urging them to address the issue promptly.
The focus this fall is on Grades 2 through 5 due to low rates of measles vaccine compliance within these age groups. Despite a decrease in weekly measles cases, with only one new case reported recently, Public Health Ontario stresses the importance of ongoing vigilance.
Data shows that a significant percentage of measles cases have occurred among individuals aged 19 or younger, with the majority of cases in infants, children, and adolescents being unimmunized.
Students without proof of vaccination risk a 20-day suspension from school. Dr. Dubey reassured the public about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines, emphasizing the need for community-wide protection in schools.
While exemptions are permitted for medical or religious reasons, TPH highlights the importance of ensuring most students are immunized to safeguard against potential outbreaks in school settings.