EDMONTON – Alberta is moving to bring in new rules to get a better handle on which children are immunized so that the province can better respond to outbreaks.
The government has introduced a bill that would allow health officials to cross-match immunization records with school enrolment lists to see who is being overlooked.
Parents of students with missing immunization records would be asked to provide the information, get the immunization, or sign a form saying they did not wish to immunize their children.
Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says health officials are missing immunizations records for an estimated 15 to 25 per cent of school- age children.
She says updated information would allow school officials to react faster in outbreaks to protect the health of all children.
Children who do not get immunized can already be directed to stay home if certain highly contagious vaccine-preventable diseases break out at their schools.
(The Canadian Press)
