As the summer heat gives way to September’s crisp air, families across Toronto are shopping for backpacks and checking supply lists. But Toronto Public Health officials are reminding parents of another crucial back-to-school preparation: ensuring their children’s immunization records are up to date.
“We see this every year,” says Dr. Vinita Dubey, Toronto’s Associate Medical Officer of Health. “Families are focused on new clothes and school supplies, but immunization records often slip through the cracks until suspension notices arrive.”
Standing in the hallway of Parkdale Collegiate Institute, I watch as parents drop off immunization forms at a special pre-term clinic. Marisol Rodriguez, a mother of three, tells me she learned the hard way when her oldest daughter faced suspension three years ago.
“I thought her vaccines were current, but I hadn’t reported the last booster to the health unit,” Rodriguez explains, adjusting her youngest daughter’s backpack. “Now I mark it on my calendar like I do parent-teacher meetings.”
Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act, students must be vaccinated against several diseases including diphtheria, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella, unless they have valid exemptions. What catches many parents off guard is that even if their child is fully vaccinated, Toronto Public Health may not have those records unless parents actively report them.
Dr. Dubey emphasizes this distinction. “Your family doctor doesn’t automatically share immunization information with us. Parents need to submit that information through our online portal or by calling our immunization reporting line.”
Last school year, Toronto Public Health sent over 35,000 notices to students with incomplete immunization records. After follow-up efforts, approximately 8,300 suspension orders were issued. Most were resolved within days as families rushed to update records or get missing vaccinations, but the disruption to learning was entirely preventable.
The COVID-19 pandemic complicated matters further. Regular immunization schedules were disrupted as many families postponed routine healthcare visits. A report from the Public Health Agency of Canada found that childhood vaccination rates dropped by nearly 25% during the height of the pandemic, creating potential immunity gaps in school communities.
“We’re still catching up,” explains Aisha Mohammed, a public health nurse who has worked in Toronto schools for eleven years. “Some families missed boosters during the pandemic and don’t realize they’re behind schedule.”
At the clinic, I meet Greg Chen, who recently immigrated to Toronto from Taiwan with his two children. “The immunization requirements are different here,” he says. “I had to figure out which vaccines my children had already received and which ones they still needed for Canadian schools.”
For newcomer families like Chen’s, Toronto Public Health offers specialized clinics with translation services. The health unit can also help match international vaccination records to Ontario requirements, though the process works best when started well before school begins.
Records can be updated through the Toronto Public Health website or by calling the immunization reporting line at 416-392-1250. Parents without a family doctor or those whose children need vaccinations can access Toronto Public Health’s immunization clinics, which offer services regardless of immigration status or health card availability.
The stakes extend beyond administrative compliance. Dr. Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, recently expressed concern about potential outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases as vaccination rates have fallen below herd immunity thresholds in some communities.
A 2023 study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal showed clustering of under-immunized children in certain Toronto neighborhoods, creating vulnerability pockets where diseases could spread rapidly if introduced.
Emily Nguyen, a Grade 11 student volunteering at the information table, shares her perspective. “A lot of my friends don’t think about vaccines because these diseases seem like history book stuff. But my cousin in Vietnam got measles, and it was really serious.”
As the morning progresses, the line of parents grows. Many arrived after receiving reminder notices, while others are being proactive. School principal Diana Marquez greets families in the hallway.
“We’re partners with public health in this effort,” Marquez tells me as she directs a parent to the right table. “Our goal is zero suspensions. Every day in the classroom matters.”
Toronto Public Health is expanding its digital services this year, introducing text message reminders and an improved online portal. Still, officials stress that technology isn’t replacing personal outreach.
As I leave the clinic, I notice Rodriguez showing another parent how to use the immunization reporting app on her phone. This community knowledge-sharing may be as important as the official communications in keeping Toronto’s students protected and in class.
With schools reopening next week, the window for avoiding last-minute rushes is closing. For parents, adding “check immunization records” to the back-to-school checklist might just be the most important preparation of all.
