On the second day of a public health blitz, 1,000 students in Waterloo region remain suspended from school until their immunizations are brought up to date.
Close to 2,000 students were suspended Wednesday either because they didn't have the proper immunizations or were unable to provide documented proof.
By Thursday that number had dropped by half as health unit staff immunized students or brought their records up to date.
The number of total suspensions is 10 times higher than last year.
Lesley Rintche, manager of immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases with the Region of Waterloo Public Health told CTV.ca she expects the numbers to continue to drop sharply over the next few school days.
Rintche said she expects all students will be back in class within two weeks, though the health unit has the ability to suspend students for up to 20 days.
"The goal is not to suspend students from school. The goal is to ensure students get the maximum amount of protection from vaccine preventable diseases," Rintche said.
The health unit is enforcing the provincial Immunization of School People Act, which requires students to be vaccinated for diphtheria, rubella, tetanus, whooping cough, polio and measles.
The dramatic increase in the number of suspensions this year can be explained by the fact the program has been extended to include students in Grade 7 and 8. In previous years, only students between Grade 2 and 6 were required to provide proof of vaccinations.
There will be fewer suspensions in future years as parents realize they are responsible to ensure their children are immunized, and that they must provide documented proof to the health unit, Rintche said.
"Next year will be a better year. It's because it's new."
The health unit sent four letters home with students beginning in September of last year, advising parents that the act would be enforced in the spring, Rintche said.
The health unit also offered numerous walk-in vaccination clinics ahead of time, but many of the 90,000 students in the Waterloo Region District School Board didn't get the necessary vaccines until it was too late, Rintche said.
Rintche said the importance of having proper vaccinations has been underscored by recent outbreaks of mumps in the U.S., whooping cough, or pertussis in Toronto, and a rubella outbreak in nearby Oxford County.
Students can be exempt from immunization on religious, medical or moral grounds, but the exemption must be documented.
