Public health officials across Ontario are urging parents to get their teens to vaccination clinics soon.

Lambton Public Health is one of many regional health units letting families know time is running out to make sure teens between 12 and 17 are double vaccinated in time for school in September. Kevin Churchill, manager of family health, says teens have to get their first dose this week in order to get the second in the next 28 days, before school begins.

Public health has set up a number of clinics for families. The first is in Forest Wednesday. There will be clinics at the community centre in Florence and Wyoming Fairgrounds Thursday and the Clearwater Arena Friday. You can go to www.getthevaccine.ca to make an appointment.

Meantime, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health says students who aren’t vaccinated will end up staying home from school much longer than those who have got the shot if there is an exposure to COVID-19. Those with the vaccine will only need a negative COVID-19 test; the unvaccinated face at least two weeks at home.

The province has yet to release its back to school plan.