BOSTON (CBS) – All students in Massachusetts will be required to receive the flu vaccine by the end of the year. Public health officials made the announcement Wednesday, citing the importance of reducing flu-related illnesses amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“Influenza immunization will be mandatory for all children 6 months of age or older attending Massachusetts Child Care, Preschool, Kindergarten, K-12, and colleges and universities,” the Massachusetts Department of Public Health said in a statement. statement.
Flu vaccine now required for all Massachusetts students enrolled in childcare, preschool, K-12, and post-secondary institutions: https://t.co/RjiOvS83DW pic.twitter.com/5e0ajDir0U
– Mass. Public Health (@MassDPH) August 19, 2020
Students will receive their flu vaccine from 31 December 2020.
Expenditures will be made for medical or religious reasons, the state said. Homeschooled students and students who are completely off campus and only study remotely are also exempt.
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Massachusetts is the first state to record the flu for K-12 and students for students, according to CNN. Only a few other states have flu vaccine requirements for daycare centers and kindergartens under 5 years old.
“Every year, thousands of people of all ages are affected by the flu, leading to many hospitalizations and deaths,” said Dr Larry Madoff, medical director of DPH’s Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, in a statement. “It is now more important than ever to get a flu vaccine because flu symptoms are very similar to those of COVID-19 and preventing the flu will save lives and save resources.”
New students who will go to school between January 1 and March 31 must first be vaccinated, the state said. A second dose of the flu vaccine in the same season may be recommended based on the child’s age and vaccination history, but it is not required to enter school.
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