Targeting parents whose kids' vaccinations are not up to date will save lives, federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek says.
Ms Plibersek has launched a new booklet for parents, GPs and other health providers that includes the latest research on vaccination and dispels the myths.
She says immunisation rates of about 90% have virtually eradicated some childhood diseases in Australia, but some pockets of the community are lagging behind.
“As a mother of three, I am a strong supporter of immunisation and my children are fully immunised.”
“Vaccination has been repeatedly demonstrated to be one of the most effective public health measures at our disposal and saves an estimated three million lives around the world each year.”
"It's not just protecting our own kids. It's protecting everyone's kids."
Ms Plibersek said there was a lot of misinformation around about the safety of vaccination. For example, allegations of a link between autism and immunisation have been completely disproved.
“'Dr Google' has been a negative influence in this debate. Instead of giving credence to thoroughly disproved theories, parents should read about the myths and realities of vaccination in this booklet and talk to their GP.”
Ms Plibersek also wants states and territories to better enforce laws that allow them to check children's immunisation levels when they enrol for school.
Writing in the upcoming June edition of Australian Prescriber, Dr Clayton Chiu and Professor Peter McIntyre say that pneumococcal vaccination has had good success in Australia, and the continued refinement of the vaccine is likely to lead to even further reduction of the disease.
“Since this program started in 2005, there have been fewer serious infections not only in vaccinated individuals, but also in those who had not received the vaccine, such as older children and adults under 65,” write the authors.
“This ‘herd immunity’ is very important in protecting the whole population from infection.”
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