The north coast’s low vaccination rates for one, two and five year-olds is a concern for NSW Labor Walt Secord, after the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare released data today (June 8) on national vaccination rates in 2015-16.
Sydney’s northern beaches also score a low rate of vaccination.
He says the latest data shows the Berejiklian government ‘has to renew efforts to increase life-saving vaccination rates in NSW.’
On a positive note, Secord says childhood immunisation rates have improved nationally.
Secord says he has legislation before the NSW Parliament: the Public Health Amendment (Vaccination of Children Attending Childcare Facilities) Bill 2017. It is set to be debated on June 22.
He says the centrepiece of the legislation is the removal of the so-called ‘conscientious objector’ provisions which have been used as a loophole by anti-vaxxers.
‘The bill will carry a maximum penalty of $5,500 for a principal or operator of a service and a family day care enrolling a child without a vaccination certificate or a certificate exempting them on medical grounds.’
‘However, it will retain a specialist provision for children who cannot be vaccinated due to a medical condition such as cancer treatment.
‘In recent months, there have been reports of patients presenting to NSW hospitals with vaccine preventable diseases like tetanus, whooping cough and measles.
‘To have herd immunity, vaccination rates have to be above 95 per cent to protect those who cannot be vaccinated.’
Public health achievement
Vaccinations are one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century.”
‘Vaccinations have saved millions of lives in the developed and developing world. Mothers in the developing world line-up for hours to protect their children, but we have mothers in Byron and Mullumbimby who put their own children and other children at risk. That is wrong.”
‘No one has the right to infect their own child or someone else’s child. Failing to vaccinate a child is irresponsible.”
‘Sadly, we are experiencing the re-appearance of diseases which we believed were eradicated. Measles and whooping cough outbreaks have been reported on the north coast.’
Well, I would refer anyone considering the question of to vaccinate or not to the 7 part Ty Bollinger series. An interview with 60 specialists. Many at the front line administering vaccinations.The truth about vaccinations. The DVD’s can be purchased online and there may be some sites offering live streaming.
There are risks in vaccinations which parents need to consider before making a decision. I would also refer those who are interested to the many online talks from Dr. Wakefield around the increased rates of Autism attributed to vaccinations.
It is possible that vaccinations as currently administered will be the greatest public health disaster of the 20th century.
To force parents to vaccinate while there is still much evidence and connector around the safety to the individual and effectiveness of the process is paramount to a criminal act.
I had thought we lived in a free society. Apparently freedom is subjective. If parents choice not to use the current allopathic system of vaccination it should be their right. If child care centres do not wish to take unvaccinated children it should be their right also. It should also be the right of other centres to cater for children of both types or children who have been protected by other means, such as homeopathy
Have a look at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=As82xDLWDKc as a start
I would stop playing doctor-Utube and refer anyone who has concerns about vaccination to their GP.
Three heavily debunked, discredited, and unqualified purveyors of pseudoscience.
Promoting these hacks only draws attention away from the meaningful considerations parents need to make. Vaccination is not without risk so why muddy the issue with anti-science and anti-intellectualism.
If you want to make an informed decision speak to medical practitioners and read peer-reviewed studies from reputable sources.
Low rates of vaccination on the north coast … I knew we were smarter than most ! Probably low consumers of fluoride also…
Not smarter – just more inclined to a hypochondrial obsession with micro-managing their ownand their children’s health via the internet.
Petrus, you’re welcome to consult your doctor but you’re not welcome to tell me that is the only form of enquiry I should be concerned with lest I ‘micro manage’ myself or my children. Regarding the controversial subject of vaccination, I prefer to consult doctors, and from the web – peer reviewed journal articles, and parents and journalist opinion. As for how children are ‘managed’, I think it’s perfectly reasonable for parents to be at least wary of vaccinations given the controversy.
Its a case if once bitten twice shy, after leaving school the average child will have had 48 vaccines check out the NSW dept of health PDF. In my opinion the principal of the occasional vaccine is sound, unfortunately the practice is unsound, unwarranted and vastly exaggerated. It leaves any parent in a quandary lose lose situation wether to or not. May I suggest adults advocating compulsory vaccines for kids because of herd immunity,please feel free to rush off and get the 40plus vaccines you have missed out on.,because you are part of the herd too.Then you can talk tough on vaccines,I’d be interested to monitor the state of your health as well.
Raw My comments might not be welcome but they stand. By suggesting that those that follow a particular course of action are “smarter” Rossco Phillips is in effect providing medical advice to people that they should follow that course of action; unless they are qualified to do so people should refrain from giving others medical advice. Simply because some people have made a subject controversial is not a reason of itself to to be wary; just because Hanson and her supporters generate controversy over Islam does not mean people should be wary of Muslims (which is in line with the view of our security authorities). Australia has achieved very successful heath outcomes not by encouraging people to obsessively micro-manage their health but by providing public health advice that is sound and kept simple, and advising them to if they have any concerns to consult their GPs.