More than 8,500 students in Baltimore City schools have yet to get the required immunizations for chickenpox and hepatitis B, but the city has joined other school systems in extending the deadline and offering free clinics.
Letters were sent home this week with 8,536 students who had not complied with a state law requiring everyone from preschool through ninth grade to have proof of vaccinations for chickenpox and hepatitis B, city schools spokeswoman Vanessa Pyatt said.
The original deadline was Jan. 2, but many schools have offered a 20-day grace period for students with appointments to get the required shots. Beginning Jan. 22, those students would have to be excluded from class until they show proof of vaccination or proof they have already had chickenpox.
To help students get their immunizations, school officials have set up open appointments with city health clinics that will allow students to get the shots for free between now and Jan. 20. Some school health centers also can provide the immunizations directly if parents sign a permission slip, Pyatt said.
