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State halts immunization rule
Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine shortage to
blame
By Jim Erickson, News Science Writer
Because of a nationwide vaccine
shortage, the state health department temporarily has suspended the
requirement that Colorado children receive a fourth and fifth tetanus,
diphtheria and pertussis shot before entering school.
The Colorado Board
of Health approved the temporary suspension in a conference call late
Thursday afternoon.
Normally,
completion of all five immunizations in the DTaP series is required
before children enter school in Colorado, unless their parents claim a
personal, medical or religious exemption.
"We don't want
any child to be denied entrance to school because he or she cannot
obtain the required immunization," said Dr. Richard Hoffman, the
state's chief medical officer.
Remaining Colorado
supplies of the DTaP vaccine should be used to provide the three initial
vaccinations to children between 2 months and 6 months old, Hoffman
said.
The vaccine
protects children from diphtheria and pertussis -- also known as
whooping cough -- and prevents them from contracting tetanus from
wounds.
The national
vaccine shortage is expected to last 12 to 18 months. It happened
because one of the nation's two manufacturers stopped production last
month.
April 14, 2001
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