PORT HOPE, ON (January 6, 2025) – The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR District Health Unit) is notifying parents and guardians of the upcoming immunization requirements for the 2024/2025 school year for students in Junior Kindergarten (JK) to Grade 11 (birth years 2008–2020).

The HKPR District Health Unit will be sending out Immunization Notice letters starting January 13, 2025, to students with missing or incomplete immunization information—if you do not receive a notice, no further action is required. This campaign is essential in meeting the immunization compliance standards under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) that requires students to have up-to-date immunizations or an exemption to attend school.

Key Dates for Immunization Compliance
To prevent disruptions to students' education, the HKPR District Health Unit is implementing a structured notice and suspension schedule:

·        January 13, 2025: Initial immunization notices will be sent to students/parents.

·        March 17, 2025: Suspension notices will be issued for any students without an updated record/exemption.

·        April 1, 2025: Suspensions begin for students who are not in compliance with the ISPA.

These efforts are in collaboration with the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board (KPRDSB), Trillium Lakelands District School Board (TLDSB), and Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic District School Board (PVNCCDSB).

Catch-Up Immunization Clinics for Students Without Family Doctors
To assist families without access to a healthcare provider, the HKPR District Health Unit will offer winter immunization clinics based on community demand. Details of the clinics will be communicated as they become available on our website hkpr.on.ca.

The HKPR District Health Unit also encourages all families to use its new convenient online Immunization Update Portal available by visiting hkpr.on.ca/Immunization. This platform facilitates record-keeping, ensuring compliance with the ISPA and promoting a safe and healthy school year for all students, allowing families to update records directly to their profile.

“We are committed to helping parents keep their children’s immunizations up to date to safeguard not only their health but also the health of our broader school communities,” says Marianne Rock, Manager of the Health Protection Division at the HKPR District Health Unit.

For more information on the immunization requirements and clinic schedules or to update your child’s records, please visit hkpr.on.ca/Immunization or call 1-866-888-4577 x 1507.

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