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17
Diphtheria Immunisation.
Immunisation was carried out along the lines indicated in
previous reports. Advertisements were placed monthly in the local
papers giving time and places of inoculaton clinics, and posters
were displayed in prominent places. In addition to this, the following
routine was practised:
(1) A notice was sent to the parent of each 6 months' old child.
(2) All infant Welfare attenders were approached.
(3) All children admitted to Day Nurseries were offered
protection
(4) Health Visitors combed their districts for children who
did not attend Welfares, and urged their protection
(5) Head Teachers gave forms of consent to new school
entrants.
(6) Prior to school medical inspections, questionnaires were
sent to each parent asking, inter alia, whether the child
had been inoculated,. If the answer were in the negative
a form of consent was sent to the parent.
All immunised cases are followed up and, at the end of three
years, each child is offered a boost dose. At the age of 11 years or
over, this is preceded by a Schick test.
All children under 5 who have not had the disease, are inoculated
against Whooping Cough at the same time as they are inoculated
against Diphtheria, i.e., they have three doses of protective
material at monthly intervals.
56.3% of the population under 5 years of age is now protected,
and 82.1% of the population aged 5 to 14.
Diphtheria Immunisation, 1949.
Total number of under 5's inoculated 733
Total number of over 5's inoculated 258
Re-inoculations after 3 years 1096
Schick tests after 3 years—negative 232
positive 141
Primary Schick test —negative 20
positive 24