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Spike the immunisation echidna visits local childcare centres |
 Sophie Davey and Samuel Shepherd from the ABC Developmental Learning Centre in Ballina are delighted to meet Spike.
Spike the immunisation echidna is out and about visiting child care centres this week to promote an immunisation resource kit put together by the Northern Rivers Division of General Practice.
“Promoting immunisation is particularly important in this area with some areas having the lowest immunisation rates in Australia,” Rachelle Deaker, immunisation project officer, said.
So far, Rachelle and Spike have visited child care centres in Byron Bay, Ballina and Lismore.
“Immunisation not only provides protection for the individual, but helps provide protection for the community. This is called ‘herd immunity’ and is when the immunisation rate is high enough to limit the transmission of the disease. When the rate is around 90-95% it becomes difficult for the organism to circulate and so it does not flourish and spread.”
The protection provided by immunisation has dramatically reduced the incidence and burden of at least 11 infectious diseases, according to Rachelle. Smallpox has been eradicated and polio is close to global eradication through vaccination.
The current vaccination program recommends that children be vaccinated at 2, 4, 6 and 12 months of age with a booster at four years of age. Chicken pox vaccination is also recommended from 18 months of age, however, it is not currently funded and costs between $60 and $70.
School based programs have also been introduced to cover adolescents against hepatitis B, and provide a booster for whooping cough, tetanus and diphtheria.
Meningococcal C vaccination was offered to all school aged children in 2003/2004 and is now part of the childhood immunisation program at 12 months. Free meningococcal C vaccine is available for one to five years olds, and adolescents aged 15 to 19 years in 2003 who do not attend school. Any school children who missed the vaccination at school can receive free vaccine in 2006.
Next year will see the introduction of free pneumococcal vaccine for all children at 2, 4 and 6 months. There will also be a ‘catch-up’ program for children born after January 2003, as the very young and the elderly are most at risk of this disease.
For information on immunisation please see your GP or immunisation provider or visit Spike’s website on www.vaccination.org.au
~ENDS
Date issued: 1/09/04
Media Contact: Katherine Breen Kurucsev, NRDGP, 6622 4453. Mobile 0404 46 30 49.
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