Protect your child - Immunisation Week 23-29 April 2012

23 April 2012

Protecting your child and your community by getting your child immunised on time is the theme for Immunisation Week (April 23-29) – and it’s free.

We know that one of the biggest factors in immunisation uptake is the conversation parents have with a trusted health professional. We hope that the Immunisation Week activities and media coverage prompt parents to make an immunisation appointment for their child today, or that they have a chat with a health providers if they have questions or concerns.

It’s the second time New Zealand has participated in the World Health Organization international Immunisation Week which is celebrated with community events, displays and activities.

For the first time, a record 92 percent of New Zealand two-year-olds are fully immunised and the drive is on to reach the Health Target of 95 percent by July.

From July, the focus will shift to making sure babies get their immunisations on time every time with a new Health Target – 95 percent of all eight-month-olds fully immunised by 2014.

Like the previous immunisation target, coverage rates will increase annually, with a target of 85 percent coverage by 1 July 2013, 90 percent by 1 July 2014 and 95 percent by 31 December 2014.

Key themes and messages

• Immunise on time, every time to protect your child
• The whooping cough outbreak is a really good example of why this is important. Babies aren’t protected until they have had their first three immunisations and the longer they are delayed, the bigger the risk they might get whooping cough. Babies who get whooping cough struggle to breathe and many end up in hospital
• Immunisation is free. Make an appointment today
• Talk to your doctor, call 0800 IMMUNE, go to www.health.govt.nz or www.immune.org.nz
• By immunising your child, you’re also helping protect other children who can’t be immunised, your family, and our community because the more people who are immunised, the less risk of an outbreak
• Currently about 92 percent of two-year-olds are fully immunised – we want to get to 95 percent by 1 July. If we can sustain high coverage levels long term, the misery caused by diseases like measles will be a thing of the past

Last updated: Monday, April 23, 2012