Vigo County holds last free clinic for vaccines

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Time's up for Vigo County students to get state mandated vaccines. The school corporation held their last free immunization clinic Thursday at Terre Haute North Vigo High School. That means students not vaccinated could soon be kept out of school.

News 10 first brought you this story in April of last year. That's when Indiana announced all middle and high school students must be vaccinated for chicken pox, meningitis, and whooping cough. Without those shots, students would not be allowed in class.

Vigo County parents have had almost 11 months to get their children the vaccines they should have had before the start of school.

The county health department offered clinics last summer, but in August they cancelled the remaining clinics due to staffing and location problems.

The Vigo County School Corporation gave the kids a break, and some extra time, to get their shots.
In January, thousands of students were stIll not immunized. So the corporation began offering free clinics at the schools.

The last clinic was Thursday for North and South High School students.

School officials say students at North and South not vaccinated by the end of spring break will not be allowed to attend school. Their options are now strictly with their healthcare provider. 

"Their options would be to: contact their primary care provider, or to turn in a medical or religious objection. Or they need to document an appointment date with their medical provider to receive the vaccines," said Carols Lucas, the Vigo County Chairperson of Nursing Services

On Monday, 53 students were excluded from Vigo County schools for not being properly vaccinated. The number may grow larger at the end of spring break if parents do not get their children immunized. They'll be able to return to class once proof, they have the shots is given to their school.