Southeast Public Health (SEPH) is reminding parents and guardians to make sure their school-aged children are fully immunized and have an up-to-date vaccine record or valid exemption on file with Southeast Public Health in order to attend school.
Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), all elementary and secondary school students must either be immunized or have a valid exemption on record for the following diseases:
- measles
- mumps
- rubella
- diptheria
- tetanus
- polio
- pertussis
- meningococcal disease
- varicella (chickenpox) – required for children born in 2010 or later
Students who do not meet Immunization of School Pupils Act requirements will be suspended from school for up to 20 school days. Southeast Public Health will review all student immunization records and enforce the Immunization of School Pupils Act in area schools during the 2025-2026 school year.
“The best way for parents to ensure that their child won’t be impacted by Immunization of School Pupils Act requirements is to check their immunization records early to ensure that everything is up to date,” says Jennifer Adams, Program Manager for Immunizations – Schools at Southeast Public Health. “Parents whose children have been immunized by their health-care provider should make sure those records have been reported to public health, and students who are behind on their vaccines should make an appointment early to make sure they can receive their vaccines before the reporting deadlines.”
Southeast Public Health will be sending notices for any students with incomplete records beginning this fall.
Students in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark Counties will be sent immunization notices beginning in November 2025, and students in Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington, Hastings County, and Prince Edward County will be sent notices in January 2026.
What steps need to be taken:
- Check your child’s immunization record. This can be done by checking their Ontario Immunization Record (yellow card) or by logging into the Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) site for the area you live in. For instructions in your area, visit the appropriate website:
- Book an appointment with your health-care provider to receive any missing vaccines, or at a public health immunization clinic if you don’t have a health-care provider. For Southeast Public Health clinics in your area, visit the appropriate website:
- Report all vaccinations to Southeast Public Health. In Ontario, health-care providers do not automatically report immunizations to public health. Parents and guardians are responsible for submitting the record. To submit records for your local area, visit the appropriate website:
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Media contact:
Communications@SoutheastPH.ca
