Indiana district says hundreds lack chickenpox shots

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (AP) - A western Indiana school district says hundreds of students could be blocked from attending school if they haven't been properly immunized for the chickenpox.

The move by the Vigo County School Corp. comes after county health officials declared a chickenpox outbreak earlier this month with more than 50 cases of the infectious disease.

The Tribune-Star reports children not properly immunized will be excluded for three weeks from the last chickenpox case at their school. District superintendent Dan Tanoos says the decision was made by state health officials and he expects many parents won't understand the action.

Nearly 700 people were immunized at special clinics held Friday and Saturday in Terre Haute, but officials say hundreds more students and school employees needed to be vaccinated.