Officials with Chatham-Kent Public Health continue working to ensure all students have their routine school shots before heading back to class this fall.
Over the past two years, hundreds of students who would have received their Meningococcal, Hepatitis B, and Human Papillomavirus vaccines in grade 7, have fallen behind on their immunizations, due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some jurisdictions, including Windsor-Essex, have now started sending out suspension warnings for those who do not have up to date immunization records.
However, CK Public Health isn’t taking that step quite yet.
“We are working with the parents, school boards, and local healthcare providers to ensure that these students get up to date before school begins in the Fall,” Community Outreach and Public Relations Officer Caress Carpenter says in an emailed statement to the CKXS Newsroom.
“We have a number of planned efforts to take place this summer and there will be a number of reminders that take place, so at this time we are focusing our efforts there and working side by side our partners to ensure those still needing their protection are able to receive it.”
Public Health has been playing catch up on a backlog of standard student immunizations with special clinics and education campaigns since early spring.