Immunization of School Pupils Act explained
The Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA) is a law in Ontario, Canada, that requires children and adolescents under the age of 18 to receive certain vaccinations to attend primary and secondary school unless a valid exemption is provided, which includes medical, religious, and conscience exemptions.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] The law applies to both private and public schools. ISPA was adopted in 1990 and was last amended in 2017.
The law requires vaccinations against the following diseases:
On October 28, 2021, Chief Medical Officer of Health of Ontario Kieran Moore said that Ontario will not integrate a COVID-19 vaccine requirement into ISPA "at present".[6]
Legal challenge
In October 2019, Vaccine Choice Canada, an anti-vaccination group, held a rally in Toronto in support of a court case the group launched jointly with five parents against ISPA. While legal experts believe the court challenge is unlikely to be successful, President of the Ontario Medical Association Sohail Gandhi is concerned the increased visibility gained by the group may result in more disinformation about vaccines being disseminated to the public.[7] [8]
Notes and References
- Web site: 2018-07-04. Immunization. live. 2021-11-02. Government of Ontario. 2021-08-12. https://web.archive.org/web/20210812051330/https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/immunization/ispa.aspx.
- Web site: 2014-07-24. Immunization of School Pupils Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. I.1. live. 2021-11-02. Government of Ontario. en. 2021-11-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20211114010813/https://www.ontario.ca/laws/.
- Web site: Immunization of School Pupils Act, RSO 1990, c I.1. live. 2021-11-02. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. en-US. 2021-11-14. https://web.archive.org/web/20211114010810/https://www.partnershipagainstcancer.ca/preventionpoliciesdirectory/ppd2024/.
- Web site: Immunization Requirements for School. live. 2021-11-02. Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. en. 2021-11-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20211103175955/https://www.wechu.org/your-health/immunization/immunization-requirements-school.
- Web site: 2021-08-12. The Law, Exemptions, Suspensions and Exclusions. live. 2021-11-02. North Bay Perry Sound District Health Unit. en. 2021-10-30. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030023120/https://www.myhealthunit.ca/en/health-topics/the-law--exemptions--suspensions-and-exclusions.asp.
- Web site: 2021-10-28. Ontario won't include COVID-19 on list of mandatory immunizations, top doctor confirms. live. 2021-11-02. CBC News. 2021-11-02. https://web.archive.org/web/20211102105827/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-19-ontario-october-28-1.6228325.
- News: Jeffords . Shawn . 2019-10-29 . Court challenge of Ontario's vaccination law unlikely to succeed: experts . en . . . live . 2021-11-02 . https://archive.today/20220322193157/https://nationalpost.com/pmn/news-pmn/canada-news-pmn/group-behind-legal-challenge-to-child-vaccination-scheme-to-hold-rally-in-toronto . 2022-03-22.
- News: 2019-10-29. Anti-vaccine group, 5 moms launching legal challenge to Ontario's child vaccination law. CBC News. The Canadian Press. 2021-11-02. 2021-11-03. https://web.archive.org/web/20211103014143/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/child-vaccination-scheme-charter-challenge-1.5339169. live.