MEMO: Upcoming Suspension Orders for Students Not Compliant with ISPA

TO: Health Care Providers Who Administer Vaccines to School Age Children

FROM: Niagara Region Public Health, Vaccine Preventable Disease Program

REFERENCE: Upcoming Suspension Orders for Students Not Compliant with ISPA

DATE: April 4, 2023

Beginning the week of April 10, Niagara Region Public Health (NRPH) will be mailing approximately 600 suspension orders to students 17 years of age (those born in 2005 and have not yet turned 18). The suspension orders inform students that they will be suspended on May 15, 2023 unless an up-to-date immunization record or a valid exemption is provided to Public Health. These suspension notices may prompt an increased number of calls to your office from parents/legal guardians seeking vaccinations for their child/children.

Once the suspension takes effect on May 15, your office will need to provide the patient with written documentation (e.g., yellow card or reporting tear-off sheet - see "notification tear-off pads" under vaccines and immunizations), so they can submit a copy to Public Health.

Reminders

The teenage Tdap booster is due 10 years after the dose given between 4 – 6 years of age
A Statement of Medical Exemption should be completed and signed only if the vaccine is deemed to be unsafe or unnecessary for the patient due to:
- Contraindication to health (e.g., allergy to a component of the vaccine)
- Laboratory confirmation of immunity or prior disease
- Clinical diagnosis of prior disease

Health care provider action

Have appointments available to help students catch-up on missed vaccines
Check immunization status when you are seeing a student for any reason and offer vaccine if needed
Ensure your office has enough vaccine to accommodate this potential increased demand
- Use the General Vaccine Order Form for ISPA required vaccines
- Use the School Program Vaccine Order Form for meningococcal vaccine

More information

To complement immunization efforts in your office, NRPH continues to run vaccination clinics. Patients can refer to the Where to Get Vaccinated webpage for clinic locations and appointment booking information.
The full exemption process can be found on our exemption from child care and school vaccinations webpage
In June, a second reminder immunization notice will be sent to all other student cohorts who remain non-compliant (i.e. up-to-date vaccination information is not on file with Public Health)
Our children and youth immunization records webpage has been updated to answer questions for parents/legal guardians
You can contact the VPD program at 1-888-505-6074 or 905-688-8248 ext. 7396