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Massachusetts health officials have lifted the requirement for almost all college students to receive a flu shot this year, arguing that the flu season has been mild so far.
The warrant was part of an effort to prevent overcrowding in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The State Department of Public Health announced over the summer that students would need to get their flu shot by December 31. Last month, the department said the deadline was extended to February 28. But now the vaccine is no longer needed to go to school. according to an email from DPH officials.
“The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is removing the flu shot requirement for daycare / preschool, elementary, secondary and post-secondary attendance. Preliminary data shows the flu season has been mild so far, likely because people have received their seasonal flu shots and embraced mask-wearing and social distancing due to COVID-19, ” An email from Karen Robitaille, of the Division of Child / Adolescent and Reproductive Health, Massachusetts Department of Public Health reads. MassLive obtained the email from documents filed in federal court, where Gov. Charlie Baker was sued by families in opposition to the demand.
“Given the intensive Commonwealth-wide efforts on COVID-19 vaccination, DPH wants to ease the burden of influenza vaccination and focus on continuing our COVID-19 vaccination efforts.” , the email continues. “The DPH continues to strongly recommend that all people six months of age and older receive their seasonal flu shot each year.
The requirement was that students get the vaccine unless a medical or religious exemption is provided. The vaccine was not required for Kindergarten to Grade 12 students who are homeschooled or for higher education students who remain completely off campus and are engaged in distance learning.
However, students attending public schools that are on a distance learning model were still required to be vaccinated as part of the mandate.
The vaccine may be required in future school years. Over the summer, Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders, at a press conference with the governor, said the flu shot would be needed in the future.
The requirement was widely controversial, leading to protests and a legal challenge. Opponents of the requirement have argued that it takes away the choice from families and claim the warrant is unconstitutional.
Now that the requirement has been removed, Baker’s lawyers and DPH Commissioner Monica Bharel, who is also named in the lawsuit, plan to consult with the plaintiffs’ attorneys on how they want to handle the case and whether the plaintiffs wish. . withdraw a pending motion for a preliminary injunction.
Further immunizations are still needed for students. In general, student vaccination rates are high in Massachusetts. There are pockets of the state, however, with higher exemption rates, including Cape Town and the Islands and part of western Massachusetts.
In Dukes, Nantucket and Barnstable counties, 7.5%, 2.9% and 2.8% of kindergarten students had vaccine exemption, respectively, according to data from last February, the most recent information on available DPH vaccines. In Franklin and Hampshire counties 6% and 4% of kindergarten students, respectively, were exempt. The statewide average is 1.3%.
Separately, coronavirus vaccinations began in Massachusetts last month. Since then, 32,984 people have achieved full vaccination with a second dose of Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines. A total of 239,174 doses were administered in Massachusetts, according to data from the DPH.
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