BOSTON -- High demand for three childhood vaccines has forced health authorities to begin rationing the state's reserves.
That's leading to fears from some pediatricians about a dangerous gap in coverage.
Last year, the state advised doctors to limit their use of certain state-supplied shots for meningitis, diphtheria, and chickenpox.
Now, older children won't have access to free vaccinations. Private insurance, the federal government or families would have to pay for them.
Health officials said demand has never been so high. For example, the state bought 84,611 doses of the chickenpox vaccine for the fiscal year that began in July and two-thirds had been ordered by October.
Dr. Jerome Klein, a pediatrics professor at Boston University, said most children are being immunized, but some are falling through the cracks.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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