A percentage breakdown of childhood vaccinations by postcode reveals a somewhat surprising trend on the northern rivers.
Australian comparison site finder.com has analysed data from National Health Performance Authority and found that towns on the NSW north coast have some of the lowest rates of immunisation in the state.
Yet, not all the areas of low vaccinations are the hippy enclaves. They include some of the most prosperous towns in the region.
According to the site, 53.33 per cent of five-year-olds in the 2482 postcode (including Mullumbimby, Main Arm and Durrumbul) were unvaccinated.
And in Byron Bay (postcode 2481) the percentage was 38.93 per cent.
In postcode 2483, which includes Ocean Shores, Brunswick Heads and the Pocket, the figure dropped to a little less than a third (32.81 per cent).
In Bangalow (postcode 2479), home town of the Vaccination Sceptics Network’s founding president Meryl Dorey, the total percentage of unvaccinated children remains a remarkably high 31.08 per cent.
Also included in the 2479 postcode are the hinterland villages of Coorabell, Fernleigh and Newrybar.
Evidently the more well-heeled sceptics are equally immune to the commonwealth government’s ‘no jab, no pay’ legislation, which came into effect 1 January, aiming to increase childhood immunisation rates by withholding government benefits to parents who don’t vaccinate their children.
Jessie Hassan, money and health expert at finder.com.au, says it is of course up to parents whether they immunise their child or not ‘but most vaccinations are government funded for kids under a certain age and can prevent a huge range of potentially deadly illnesses such as whooping cough.’
‘When kids start school they are likely to come into contact with a large number of children and germs for the first time, which can not only be potentially harmful to their health but also costly,’ Ms Hassan said.
‘Before your child starts school it’s a good idea check their health records to make sure their immunisations are all up to date,’ she added.
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