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Metro Perth lagging behind in child-immunisation rates

Staff Writer with AAPComment News

METROPOLITAN Perth has some of the lowest rates of fully vaccinated five-year-olds in Australia’s Primary Health Network Areas.

According to the Australian Institute and Health and Welfare study for 2015-16, 2507 five-year-olds in the Perth North (1287) and Perth South (1220) regions are not fully immunised.

That puts Perth North with a vaccination rate of 90.6 per cent and Perth South at 90.8 per cent – the second- and third-lowest in the country, behind the New South Wales North Coast 90.6 per cent.

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These are all well below the national target of 95 per cent.

But those rates are up from 2012-13, which had Perth North at 89.2 per cent and Perth South 88.6 per cent.

The proportion of fully immunised five-year-olds was highest in Western NSW and Murrumbidgee (NSW) at 96 per cent.

“When looking at smaller areas, like postcode areas, we see much greater variation in immunisation rates, from a high of almost 100 per cent and a low of 71 per cent for fully immunised five year olds,” AIHW spokesperson Michael Frost said.

“Even though the majority of Australian kids are immunised, it’s important to maintain high immunisation rates to protect the community, including vulnerable groups such as babies who are too young to receive their vaccines.”

AREAS WITH HIGHEST FIVE-YEAR-OLD VACCINATION RATES

Western NSW – 96.1% Murrumbidgee (NSW) – 96% Hunter New England & Central Coast (NSW) – 95.4% Gippsland (Vic) – 94.9 % South Eastern NSW – 94.7 % Nepean Blue Mountains (NSW) – 94.7% Western Queensland – 94.4%

AREAS WITH THE LOWEST RATES

North Coast (NSW) – 90.3% Perth North (WA) – 90.6 % Perth South (WA) – 90.8% Gold Coast (QLD) – 90.8% Northern Sydney (NSW) – 91.3% Central & Eastern Sydney (NSW) – 91.5 % Central Qld, Wide Bay & Sunshine Coast – 91.6%

WHAT VACCINATION PROTECTS CHILDREN AGAINST

* Hepatitis B * Diphtheria * Tetanus * Whooping cough * Haemophilus influenzae type b * Polio * Pneumococcal conjugate * Meningococcal C * Measles * Mumps * Chickenpox

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