NJ Flu Shot Reprieve

Letters went out dated yesterday, February 3rd, that lifted the ban on children without the flu shot from attending preschool/childcare. The state had instituted a mandate on the shot for all children in childcare & school between the ages of 6 months and 5 years old. The original deadline of 12/31 had been pushed out a few times in result of "supply" issues.

From NJAICV.org:

Due to a lack of resources such as available clinics, vaccine supply and the public's inability of finding available shots, the State of New Jersey has lifted the deadline for compliance of the flu vaccine mandate for pre-schoolers. A memo has been issued to the schools from the NJDHSS stating that no child should be excluded from school if they have not yet received their flu shot.

Below is a sample of the memo that schools may be sending out:

"As of today, February 3, 2009 we have received a message from the Health Department:

NJ has issued a Corrective Action Plan: Until further notice, we do NOT have to exclude children from school for not having the flu vaccination. If your child did not receive the flu shot, they do not have to unless the state requires it at a future date."

The state is setting up more clinics in order to bring as many children into compliance as soon as possible.

So, this is good news for kids who would have previously been out for the duration of the flu season and able to return in the spring (April). Of course, the elephant in the room is:

They do not have to unless the state requires it at a future date.

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