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36
Vaccination against Rubella (German Measles)
During 1970, the Department of Health and Social Security
announced the introduction of vaccination against rubella (German
Measles) into local health authority prophylactic programmes with
full participation by general medical practitioners. Recent surveys
had shown an association between abnormalities found in new-born
children and rubella infection of their mothers in early pregnancy.
The scheme for vaccination against rubella provides for vaccination
of girls between their 11th and 14th birthdays which will give longterm
benefits for children of the future rather than conventional
population immunity as with other prophylactic measures.
For practical purposes vaccination against rubella will be
phased so that the first group will consist of the older girls in
their fourteenth year. Arrangements have been made for the initial
programme to commence during the Spring Term 1971•
Publicity was given to this scheme in the local press, by
circulation of information to general practitioners and to the parents
of eligible school girls„
Tuberculosis (B.C.G. Vaccination)
Thirteen year old school children
The acceptance rate for this protective measure is still at a
satisfactorily high level. The skin test used is Mantoux (10 TU).
Early in 1970, it was necessary to arrange for completion of the
previous year's programme„ which had been deferred due to a
temporary shortage of staff. Some schools were accordingly visited
twice during the year, and the apparent increase in the numbers of
children dealt with is due to the inclusion of the children who
would normally have been dealt with in 1969.
Schools visited 9 (4)
Number of eligible children 2,876 ( 710)
Number of acceptances 2,043 ( 520)
Acceptance rate 71.0% (073.2%)
Number skin-tested and read 1.322 ( 382)
Number given BCG vaccination 1.209 ( 343)
Number of positive reactors 113 ( 39)
Positivity rate 8.6% (10.2%)
Contacts
The numbers of contacts of cases of tuberculosis dealt with at
chest clinics continue to decrease, being 20% below the 1969 level.
The positivity rate in this group was 17.35 compared with 37.5% in
1969.
Number skin-tested and read 104 (130)
Number found negative 86 (81)
Number given BCG vaccination 86 (79)
Number found positive 18 ( 49)