Grand Erie Public Health (GEPH) has enforced school suspensions under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.
As of March 25, 291 students in Brantford-Brant in cohorts 2008, 2013, and 2017 and 170 students in Haldimand-Norfolk in cohorts 2008, 2016, and 2017 have been suspended from school.
The goal of the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) in Ontario is to protect the health of children and prevent disease outbreaks in schools by ensuring students are immunized against certain vaccine-preventable diseases.
2,813 suspension orders were issued to students by GEPH in January-February and after ongoing outreach, communication, and immunization clinics, 84 per cent of suspension orders have been rescinded, resulting in 16 per cent of students who received a suspension order.
“Immunizations are one of the most effective ways to protect our children and community from serious diseases. Given the ongoing measles outbreak in Southwestern Ontario, the Immunization of School Pupils Act is even more important now to safeguard the health and well-being of our students. Let’s work together to keep our schools safe and healthy,” said Dr. Adelle Chang On, Acting Medical Officer of Health, Grand Erie Public Health
Grand Erie Public Health will be actively supporting suspended students to update their immunization records, receive required vaccines, or register for a valid exemption and return to school as soon as possible.
For suspended students in Brantford-Brant, Grand Erie Public Health will be at the Lynden Park Mall, Entrance #3, 84 Lynden Rd., Brantford to provide record assessment and catch-up immunizations on Tuesday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 26 from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Thursday, March 27 and Friday, March 28 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Parents can drop in with their child or book an appointment by calling 519-753-4937 ext. 451.
For suspended students in Haldimand-Norfolk Grand Erie Public Health will be offering a suspension vaccine clinic at the GEPH Simcoe office, 185 Robinson St., Simcoe, on Friday, March 28 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. In addition, vaccine appointments will be available on a request basis out of the GEPH Simcoe office from Tuesday, March 25 through until Friday, March 28. Parents interested in arranging a suspension vaccine appointment can call 519-426-6170 ext. 3214 or email vpdhn@geph.ca.
For more information about the school suspension vaccine clinics visit www.bchu.org/ispa and www.hnhu.org/ispa. Vaccine records can be submitted to GEPH, at www.bchu.org/emunization and www.hnhu.org/immunization_reporting.
