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VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Smallpox Vaccination
The number of primary vaccinations carried out in 1959
was 114 in infants under one year, 153 in those over one
year. This means that just over 10% of infants are being
vaccinated during the first year of life.
Poliomyelitis Vaccination
In my last report I recorded that the response from young
people in the age group 16 - 25 years had been disappointingly
low and in fact only 118 had received 2 injections by
the end of 1958.
Early in 1959, therefore, it was decided to supplement
the usual propaganda channels by offering vaccination 'on
the spot' at places of work and recreation, e.g. factories,
schools, youth centres. This did stimulate the acceptance
rate somewhat but it was not until the untimely death of a
young national footballer took place that any significant
response was received from this age group when 8,000
injections were given to young adults during the ensuing two
months. Difficulties of supply of vaccine during this time
did cause the department some embarrassment in that we had
to suspend for some time the open sessions when young
people could be vaccinated without appointment.
By the end of 1959 about one-third of the young people
between 15 and 25 years of age had been vaccinated.
During the year over 10,000 booster doses were given
to children under 15 years of age.
With regard to expectant mothers, 490 were vaccinated,
i.e. about one-half of the total possible.
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