State extends vaccination deadline because of Florence

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Because of disruptions caused by Hurricane Florence, North Carolina health officials are giving families longer to obtain required school and daycare immunizations.

The News & Observer reports an order this week by the state’s health director means all students have until Dec. 1 to provide the required documentation. Typically, students must show they have received the required vaccines by the 30th day of school.

N.C. Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Kelly Haight says some immunization clinics were canceled because of Florence.

Haight added that some families might have lost their children’s records as a result of flooding that followed the storm or that some doctors’ offices may have lost vaccines that weren’t kept at proper temperatures due to power outages.