Health officials are concerned over a chickenpox outbreak that is spreading in Ossining.

The school nurse at the Ann. M. Doran Middle School sent a letter home to parents notifying them of the chickenpox outbreak. Thirty-three cases have been reported at the middle school in the past two months, but doctors say in the last few weeks they have seen cases from the elementary schools. New York State law requires the chickenpox or the varivax vaccination for all students born after 1994. However, health officials say for some reason that vaccine is not working in Ossining. Health officials say the outbreak is also spreading from students to adults, which can be dangerous.

The chickenpox virus is highly contagious and can be spread from person to person through the air, or by contact with fluid from chickenpox blisters. Students who have not had the chickenpox and have only had one vaccine are going to be contacted. Those students will be called in to have a second vaccine, as health officials try to put an end to the outbreak.