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67
Immunization and Vaccination
As the figures show, about 80% of the immunizations and
vaccinations performed in Wandsworth are carried out at the
Council's centres, the remainder being performed by general
practitioners. Health visitors and school nurses keep up a constant
drive to persuade parents to complete a full programme of
protection against infectious diseases for their children. Now that
the combined injection against diphtheria, tetanus and whooping
cough is given at the same time as oral vaccine for protection
against poliomyelitis, primary immunization against these diseases
can be completed in three months instead of six. This should help
considerably by halving the number of visits needed for immunization,
and will also relieve some of the pressure on the clinics.
The general pattern of prophylaxis was much as in previous
years, but there are two other points worthy of mention. The first
is that protection against tetanus is becoming more common as a
single course, not merely as part of the triple injection; secondly
during the year the Department continued the policy of the London
County Council to co-operate with the Medical Research
Council in their research into vaccination against measles. As a
result of this research it seems probable that measles vaccination
will become available for use in suitable cases.