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VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Vaccination and immunisation against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, poliomyelitis, measles and
smallpox are available to all children under school-leaving age, either at the child health centres, in schools
or at the surgeries of their family doctors. Smallpox vaccination is also available in the medical suite at City
Hall for adults residing or working in Westminster; 93 adults were vaccinated in 1971 in addition to 38 at
maternal and child health centres. Immunisation against poliomyelitis and tetanus is also provided for
adults on request.
The Chief Medical Officer to the Department of Health and Social Security in mid-1971 advised all
Medical Officers of Health and General Practitioners of the conclusions reached by the Joint Committee on
Vaccination and Immunisation on the subject of vaccination against smallpox and recommended that
routine vaccination be discontinued. Accordingly smallpox vaccination is only provided on request for
children who are going abroad and require an international certificate.
The programme of rubella vaccination started in 1970 was continued in 1971 and extended to include
all girls aged 11-13. Special sessions were arranged in senior schools and 647 girls were given protection.
With the commencement of the academic year a campaign was launched in September 1971 to inform
students entering universities and technical colleges of the dangers of tetanus, especially to those who in the
course of their studies would be associating with machinery and materials. Some 30,000 explanatory letters
were distributed to the students via the college authorities asking those interested to complete a form
provided and to take it to their general practitioners or to send it to the Health Department where
appropriate arrangements would be made. The response was extremely disappointing; only 500 students
replied requesting vaccination. Special vaccination sessions were arranged at the respective colleges and in
the event 186 of the 500 failed to attend.
AN INVESTIGATION INTO WESTMINSTER IMMUNISATION STATISTICS
Miss A. H. Kane, S.R.N., S.C.M., H.V.Cert., Dip. Sociology
Area Nursing Officer
In 1968 the average primary diphtheria immunisation course rate for England and Wales was 81%. For
the London Boroughs as a whole it was 74%. For the City of Westminster alone it was 54%, the lowest rate
for any area in England and Wales.
The Medical Officer of Health requested that an investigation be made into why the immunisation rate
was low, and to find methods by which it could be improved.
The enquiry was carried out on the 1969 births since these were the statistics which were due to be
published later this year.
Investigations were carried out and the following facts emerged: —
1. For a hundred per cent Primary Diptheria Immunisation success rate the total number of children
immunised in a given birth year must be equal to the total number of notified live births in that year.