Children ’s Health The Case for Vaccination Why science says vaccination is the safe choice for kids They say you should never discuss religion or politics. Well in 2014, I think it’s safe to add vaccination to that list! If you are a social media user, you will most likely have already been exposed to some very heated online debates regarding this issue. Twenty or thirty years ago, most parents would follow the advice of the world’s leading scientists and doctors, and vaccinate their children without question. However, in today’s world, where information (with or without supporting evidence) is spread freely on the internet, the vaccination rate is experiencing a rapid and steep decline. Measles is today, one of the leading causes of death among young children. In 2012, there were 122,000 measles deaths globally – that’s about 330 deaths every day or 14 deaths every hour. It’s hard to imagine parents in developing nations refusing free vaccinations for their children to guard them against some of the most common and serious childhood illnesses, yet that is exactly what we are seeing in comparatively privileged Australia, especially right here on our doorstep. According to Australian Childhood Immunisation Register statistics, the region stretching from North Coast New South Wales, through the Gold Coast and Brisbane, and up to the Sunshine Coast, has one of the lowest child vaccination rates in the country. Only 88.6% of five-year-olds in this region are fully vaccinated in accordance the National Immunisation Program Schedule. It is concerning that more and more parents in this area are making the often ill-informed decision to not vaccinate their children, even though safe and cost-effective vaccines are readily available. Scientific evidence demonstrates there are three main benefits to widespread vaccination across a population: 1. Vaccination can protect the immunised individual from disease and related complications. If not preventing the disease itself, vaccination can help reduce the severity of infection. 2. Herd immunity can help protect babies and other vulnerable groups, including those who have a compromised immune system, from infection. 3. Widespread vaccination can eventually kill out diseases altogether, as was the case with smallpox, which was eradicated in 1979. Pindara Magazine 54 Autumn - Winter | 2014
Pindara Private Hospital Magazine - Issue Two
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