Victoria has the best immunisation rate in Australia, new data shows.
But some areas are still at rates below 90 per cent, with the Southern Grampians recording a rate of 85.37 per cent, figures from the Australian Immunisation Register have revealed.
A record 95.4 per cent of Victorian kids are now fully vaccinated by the time they turn five — the highest in Australia.
This is up from 93.7 per cent in 2016 and above the national average of 94.5 per cent.
Those with the lowest rates included the Southern Grampians and Strathbogie regions, as well as Melbourne and Bayside.
The numbers come off the back of the state government’s ‘No Jab No Play’ law, which came into effect four years ago.
The law makes it illegal for a child to attend childcare or kindergarten without being fully vaccinated.
Parents are also now required to show a child’s immunisation history to early childhood services twice a year, which reduces the risk of records being falsified by doctors opposed to immunisation.
Strathmore mum Kylie Moody, 42, said making sure one-year-old son Noah was immunised was important for protecting both him and other kids.
Country areas rated among the highest, with six regional local government areas scoring 100 per cent on immunisations.
Minister for Health, Jenny Mikakos, said parents who chose not to immunise their kids were “putting the safety of children at risk.”
“The science is very clear – vaccinations are safe and they save lives,” Ms Mikakos said.
“It’s vitally important parents check their children’s immunisations are up-to-date before they start school or preschool, to protect them and the community from deadly infectious diseases.
“Our No Jab No Play rules are tough, and they are here to stay.”
(Source)
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