W A S H I N G T O N, Feb. 8

School officials in the nation's capital will take a tougher line starting Monday in their efforts to require immunizations.

Children who have been ordered out of school because of a lack of immunizations will be declared truants. Their parents and guardians will be warned of potential fines and jail time.

Local regulations require that students be properly immunized against diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella, haemophilus influenza, hepatitis B, pnuemococcal pneumonia and chicken pox.

Washington school officials discovered last year that as many as 41,000 of their 68,485 students lacked complete shot records. Since last month, officials have worked with the city's public health agency to bring students into full compliance with a law.

School officials said 689 students remain out of compliance. Many of them have histories of absenteeism, or other problems, said assistant superintendent Ralph Neal.

Two weeks ago, students lacking immunization records received 10 days of school assignments plus instructions not to return to school until they could prove they received their shots.

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