Primary Care Advisory – ISPA Update

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Public Health continues to make progress in ensuring student immunizations are up to date under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). As suspension days approach, key timelines and actions are outlined below to support patients.

Key Timelines

Secondary Students (Grades 9–12)

  • Deadline to submit records: April 6, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
  • Suspension period: April 9 to May 7, 2026
  • Approximately 3,200 students received suspension orders on March 5
  • As of last week, 1,734 students remained not up to date

Elementary Students (JK–Grade 8)

  • Deadline to submit records: May 4, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.
  • Suspension period: May 7 to June 5, 2026
  • Approximately 7,000 students will receive suspension orders next week

Public Health Vaccine Clinics

  • Public Health clinic appointments are provided for students without OHIP coverage or a primary care provider.
  • Students and families with a primary care provider are encouraged to access vaccines through a primary care provider.
  • During suspension periods, appointments can be booked for any suspended student.

Actions Requested from Health Care Providers

Continued partnership supports students and families in meeting ISPA requirements. Health care providers are asked to:

  • Provide required immunizations, documentation, and medical exemptions, as clinically appropriate.
  • Request that families bring the suspension order to appointments, as the order outlines vaccines on file with Public Health and those that are overdue.
  • Provide an updated vaccination record after immunization and remind families to report vaccines to Public Health via regionofwaterloo.ca/vaccines.

Further information on publicly funded vaccines and vaccine ordering is available on the Public Health website or by contacting the Vaccine Preventable Disease Program.

Contact

Vaccine Preventable Disease Program
Email: vaccine@regionofwaterloo.ca