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Girl Banned From School Over Vaccine Dispute

Girl Banned From School Over Vaccine Dispute

A Long Island third grader has been banned from attending her public school in Miller Place because of a vaccine dispute. “I’d rather be at school, I miss my friends,” Ceili McNicholas, 8, told CBS New York.

At issue is that the state health department, worried about potential whooping cough outbreaks, is now requiring any student who didn’t complete the tetanus diphtheria pertussis vaccine series by age 6 to get the booster shot — or stay home from school. But it’s not that simple, note local physicians, due to a conflict between government agencies: The FDA approves the T-Dap booster only for kids 10 and over, while the state follows CDC guidelines, which recommends the booster for ages 7 through 10.

And that puts Ceili’s mom, Jamie McNicholas, a very difficult place, as several pediatricians have told her that the booster is risky for her daughter.

“Not one of them said that they felt comfortable giving that vaccine to kids under 10,” she said. “I’m not against vaccinating. I am against age-inappropriate vaccinating.”

But because of the new state rule, officials at Ceilie’s Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School said they had no choice and, as of Monday, she was banned from attending. The school district issued the following statement: “We appreciate the family’s frustration. The Miller Place School District is required and obligated to follow all of the rules and regulations of the State of New York on all matters including children’s health. Questions and concerns about this issue should be raised with the New York State Department of Education and the Suffolk County Department of Health.”

A Long Island third grader has been banned from attending her public school in Miller Place because of a vaccine dispute. “I’d rather be at school, I miss my friends,” Ceili McNicholas, 8, told CBS New York.

At issue is that the state health department, worried about potential whooping cough outbreaks, is now requiring any student who didn’t complete the tetanus diphtheria pertussis vaccine series by age 6 to get the booster shot — or stay home from school. But it’s not that simple, note local physicians, due to a conflict between government agencies: The FDA approves the T-Dap booster only for kids 10 and over, while the state follows CDC guidelines, which recommends the booster for ages 7 through 10.

And that puts Ceili’s mom, Jamie McNicholas, a very difficult place, as several pediatricians have told her that the booster is risky for her daughter.

“Not one of them said that they felt comfortable giving that vaccine to kids under 10,” she said. “I’m not against vaccinating. I am against age-inappropriate vaccinating.”

But because of the new state rule, officials at Ceilie’s Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School said they had no choice and, as of Monday, she was banned from attending. The school district issued the following statement: “We appreciate the family’s frustration. The Miller Place School District is required and obligated to follow all of the rules and regulations of the State of New York on all matters including children’s health. Questions and concerns about this issue should be raised with the New York State Department of Education and the Suffolk County Department of Health.”