A new policy demanding that all illegal immigrants in Chicago receive the measles vaccine before entering publicly-owned shelters has gone into effect as authorities step up efforts to contain the disease.
The new requirement comes after officials claim an increase in measles cases among illegal immigrants housed in city shelters, with the total number of infected having risen to 12, and 10 of the cases having emerged from a single city shelter. Among those infected include at least two illegal immigrant children who attend Chicago Public Schools, according to the Chicago Department of Health. While students typically are required to be vaccinated to enroll in school in Illinois, illegal immigrants can be exempted from vaccination.
