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*This increase is because of a change in procedure whereby children are now immunised
during the Autumn Term instead of the Spring Term.
From the above it will be seen that vaccination and immunisation work in 1970 was
approximately 21% greater than in 1969.
RUBELLA
Rubella or German Measles, although well known as a mild disease, is capable of damaging
the foetus in various ways especially during the early months of pregnancy, the risk being highest
in the first month. Recent evidence suggests that even in later months there may be some risk. The
resulting congenital malformations can be very severe, especially those involving the heart, eye and
auditory apparatus. Protection of women against Rubella during the child-bearing period was at
first attempted by the use of serum but it proved to be ineffective. During recent years work has
been going on in an endeavour to develop a vaccine against Rubella and early in 1970 the Chief
Medical Officer informed doctors that a vaccine from the Cendehill strain was available. It was
important to be sure that a woman was not pregnant at the time of vaccination or for two months
after it. As far as local health authorities were concerned the vaccination scheme would apply to
all girls between their 11th and 14th birthdays, but in order to facilitate the programme in its early
stages, vaccine was made available without cost to local authorities (until 31st March, 1971) for
the immunisation of girls in their 14th year. Routine vaccination began throughout the country in
September and during the remainder of the year almost 400 Bexley school girls were given the
vaccine.
The aim is not to eradicate rubella from the community but rather to protect girls before
they reach child-bearing years against the disease when it occurs and it is of course during epidemic
years that most cases will occur.
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