With more than 600 doses of the vaccine that prevents measles, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital began inoculating unvaccinated children and adults Wednesday evening, following a confirmed case of measles on the Island.
The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital will hold two free vaccination clinics today and tomorrow following a diagnosis of measles in an unvaccinated child visiting the Island from another state last week. Health officials report public exposures occurred in West Tisbury, Chilmark and Oak Bluffs.
Vineyard elementary schools have some of the lowest vaccination rates in the state, according to a list of vaccination rates released by the state Department of Public Health. The West Tisbury and Tisbury schools are among the lowest.
A total of 528 people of all ages received flu vaccines this weekend through the Island boards of health annual flu clinic.
His family members and friends got inoculated at their doctors or druggists.
Because shipments of seasonal influenza vaccine will arrive on the Vineyard later than expected, the annual Islandwide innoculation will be postponed until the second week of November.
Seasonal flu innoculation is now scheduled to take place at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School on Nov. 11.