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Hep B Action Against Students in Utica, NY Found
at WUTR
- News Channel 20 in Utica
10/10/2000
THE UTICA SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TURNING AWAY STUDENTS WHO HAVE NOT HAD THEIR HEPATITIS B VACCINATION. TODAY WAS THE DEADLINE TO GET THE SHOT.AND FOR THOSE WHO COULDN'T MEET IT.WELL THEY WERE SENT HOME. ONE BY ONE SEVENTH GRADERS FROM DONOVAN MIDDLE SCHOOL WALKED OUT THE SCHOOL DOORS THIS MORNING AND INTO A BUS.ALL OF THEM ARE HEADING HOME FOR FAILING TO DO ONE THING.GET THEIR HEPATITIS B SHOT BY TODAY'S DEADLINE. BETWEEN DONOVAN AND KENNEDY MIDDLE SCHOOLS A TOTAL OF 77 STUDENTS DID NOT HAVE THEIR VACCINE AS OF THIS MORNING. OF THEM 22 STUDENTS WERE SENT HOME.43 NEVER EVEN SHOWED UP FOR SCHOOL. DISTRICT PHYSICIAN DR. MARK ZONGRONE SAYS ITS TIME TO PUT PRESSURE ON THE PARENTS.
THOSE THAT WE CANNOT REACH BY TELEPHONE WE ARE CONTACTING ONEIDA COUNTY SPIFY WORKERS WILL BE GOING TO EITHER THEIR WORKPLACE OR THERE HOMES TO NOTIFY THEM THAT THEIR CHILDREN HAVE BEEN EXCLUDED TO MAKE SURE WE GET THIS THING IN HAND-
BUT ZONGRONE SAYS IT SHOULDN'T HAVE GOTTEN TO THIS POINT.
WE'VE HAD PROBABLY 8 NOTIFICATIONS SENT HOME SINCE THE LAW WAS PASSED IN FEBRUARY NOTIFYING PARENTS-
THE NEW YORK STATE LAW REQUIRING STUDENTS TO HAVE THE HEPATITIS B SHOT WENT INTO AFFECT ON SEPTEMBER SIXTH.BUT AT THAT TIME 60 PERCENT OF THE SEVENTH GRADE CLASS STILL DID NOT HAVE THE VACCINE.SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GAVE THEM A 30 DAY LAY PERIOD TO GET IT DONE.
ONEIDA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED AT LEAST THREE CLINICS A WEEK DURING SEPTEMBER TO TRY TO GET THESE NUMBERS CAUGHT UP-
THAT'S JUST FOR THE FIRST SHOT.IN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS THE STUDENTS WILL HAVE TO GET TWO MORE VACCINATIONS.ZONGRONE SAYS IF STUDENTS AND PARENTS DO NOT COMPLY WITH THAT LAW.THE SCHOOL SYSTEM COULD STAND TO LOSE A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF STATE AID. ZONGRONE SAYS HE REFUSES TO LET THAT HAPPEN.
ONCE THEY'VE HAD 14 DAYS WITHOUT VACCINATION WE WILL TURN THEM OVER TO CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES FOR EDUCATION NEGLECT-
FOR NOW THE ONEIDA COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL CONTINUE TO OFFER THE HEPATITIS B VACCINATION FOR THE STUDENTS. THAT CLINIC WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW FROM NINE UNTIL NOON. THE HEALTH CLINIC IS LOCATED AT 406 ELIZABETH STREET IN UTICA.
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