Students in Seattle Told to Get Vaccinated Or Don't Come Back After Break

The public school system in Seattle has a message for thousands of students during the holiday break: Make sure your vaccines are up to date, or you won't be able to come back to school in January.

About 2,000 students who did not have updated vaccination records were notified in letters sent home by the district that they could be excluded from school after the break if they failed to get in compliance, KIRO reports.

"Student records must reflect updated immunization status by January 8, 2020, or students cannot attend school until the required information is provided to the school nurse," a notice on the district's website states. "Families of students whose records are not up to date or are missing information will be notified via email, postal mail, and a letter home from your child’s school."

In an effort to get the students vaccinated, the district is hosting three free immunization clinics over the winter break to help the students get in compliance. Many students don't have the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

Seattle schools spokesman Tim Robinson told KOMO-TV that schools have a plan if students miss the January 8 deadline.

"If a student comes to school on the 8th and their records aren't up to date, they'll just be held aside, their parents or guardian will be contacted," Robinson said.

Students who have to skip school because their immunization records aren't up to date will be counted as unexcused absences, the school system said.

The notice by the district comes after Washington state lawmakers voted to get rid of the "personal" or "philosophical" objection by parents who wished to skip the MMR vaccine after a pair of measles outbreaks sicked dozens of people.

Photo: Getty Images


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