Hamilton Public Health Services Delaying Enforcement of Vaccine Suspensions

The following message from Hamilton Public Health Services was emailed to all HWDSB secondary school families on March 1, 2024. It includes details about the delay in vaccine suspensions, upcoming catch-up clinics and how you can still submit vaccine records.

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Parent Guardian Student Letter – Delay in Suspensions under Immunization of School Pup

Hamilton Public Health Services will be delaying the enforcement of the Immunization of School Pupils Act requirements for birth cohorts 2006-2009 (Grades 9-12). Students in these grades with overdue vaccination records, or without valid medical, religious or conscientious exemption records on file, were to be suspended from school starting the week of March 4, 2024. These suspensions will be delayed.

The City of Hamilton has been experiencing a cybersecurity incident since Sunday, February 25^th that has disabled some of our information and technology (IT) systems. The City has taken swift action to investigate the incident, protect systems, and minimize the impact, which are key priorities as the City continues to manage this incident. The delay in suspensions is in response to the ongoing difficulty that parents/guardians and students may be experiencing in reporting vaccinations to Hamilton Public Health due to the IT disruption.

Students who were at risk of suspension due to overdue vaccines and vaccine records should plan to continue to attend school for the week of March 4, 2024. As the school year progresses, Hamilton Public Health Services will reassess and plan for reinstating school suspensions under the Immunization of School Pupils Act. Further information will be shared with schools, parents/guardians and students as the planning continues.

While suspensions are currently delayed, we are strongly recommending students with overdue vaccinations and records continue to take steps to become up to date. Immunizations are one of the most impactful and cost-effective public health interventions as they protect individuals from the harmful effects of vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles.

Public Health will be offering catch-up clinics and the opportunity to have vaccine records reviewed for students with overdue vaccinations or records on March 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and March 11 and 12, 2024. These clinics will be held at 110 King Street West on the plaza level, from 9:00am to 12:00 and 1:00pm to 3:45pm, clinics will close for lunch between 12 and 1pm. We would strongly encourage students with overdue vaccination records to consider attending these clinics.

Hamilton Public Health Services is currently not able to receive or review vaccine records submitted via fax or phone. However, records can still be submitted via traditional postal mail or through the Immunization Connect Ontario (ICON) portal at hph.icon.ehealthontario.ca

Thank you for your patience as we work through these issues,

Sharalyn Penner-Cloutier RN, BScN

Acting Manager- Community Vaccination and School Clinics
City of Hamilton, Healthy and Safe Communities Department