Migrant Students in NYC Schools Without Vaccination Documents

An influx of migrant families into New York City is forcing schools to admit kids who don’t have the required vaccinations, and may have already led to one outbreak.

According to a director’s notice dated January 25, there was a case of chickenpox at Simon Baruch High School in Gramercy Park stating that students who were not vaccinated against the disease could not attend school.

A parent at the school said after the announcement that five migrant children had been missing for several days in the class in question.

“When you talk now about the hundreds of children entering school and arriving from countries where we know they don’t have the same childhood vaccinations, it’s hard not to see where vulnerable families might be at risk,” the parent said.

A senior city health official recently told the city council that a surprising number of migrant children are arriving at the Big Apple who have never received a single shot.

“We are seeing so many unvaccinated children,” Dr. Ted Long, chief executive of NYC Test & Trace Corps, said at a council hearing, speaking generally about the influx of migrants.

An estimated 11,000 migrant children have enrolled in Department of Education schools since the summer.

The city’s health department is monitoring outbreaks of illnesses such as chickenpox but declined to say how many have been reported in city schools since September or comment on Simon Baruch.

Carolina Chikaisa, who arrived in New York from Ecuador on January 8, said her 8-year-old son Jaret has been attending PS 111 third grade in Hell’s Kitchen since last week and has no vaccination records.

“I had evidence of them in Ecuador, but I lost them in the jungle on my way here,” Chikaisa said.

She said she took Jareth for blood tests to prove he had been vaccinated and was waiting for the results to show to the school, which was overflowing with migrant students. He is allowed to attend classes until they receive proof.

Another mom from Ecuador said her son has been attending eighth grade at City Knoll High School, which is in the same building on West 53rd Street as PS 111, for about two months, even though his shots weren’t up to date initially.

“A month ago they requested immunization records and he had immunizations in Ecuador but he needed six more. I don’t even remember what he had,” said the mother, who declined to give her name.

Students in kindergarten through fifth grade should receive the varicella vaccine, as well as DTaP, MMR, polio, and hepatitis B vaccines. At least two doses are required for each vaccine.

Students are not required to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Under DOE rules, schools must accept children in temporary housing, including asylum seekers, even if they cannot immediately show immunizations or academic records, according to guidance sent to school principals in September.

“Students moving from another state or country, including asylum seekers, have 30 days from the date of enrollment to provide a certificate of vaccination or be in the process of receiving vaccinations,” the guidance states.

They are allowed to attend school during this 30 day period.

Students who are not migrants or students in temporary housing require at least the first dose of a series of vaccines to be temporarily in school. They must then provide proof that follow-up vaccinations were scheduled or they risk being expelled from school according to Department of Education regulations.

“Both the Department of Education and the Department of Health are working closely with families to ensure they have access to immunization services and meet school outbreak prevention requirements,” Health Department spokesman Patrick Gallahue said.

Test & Trace Corps employees have administered more than 4,600 shots to more than 1,800 children, according to a spokesperson for The Post.

Director Simon Baruch did not immediately respond to a request for comment, as did a Department of Energy spokesman.