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26
IMMUNISATION
Towards the end of 1968 new recommendations were issued by the
Department of Health regarding the timing of the various procedures. The
suggested age to commence became 6 months, which agreed with the
schedule in use in Croydon Child Health Centres. However, the interval
between the 2nd and 3rd doses of polio and triple vaccine was increased
to 6 months. Thus many children who received two doses in 1969 will not
complete their immunisation until 1970, and the percentage who have been
fully protected has necessarily fallen. Every effort will be made to ensure
their return for this completion of primary protection, but this scheme is
less easily operated than the former schedule of attendances for three consecutive
months. As regards vaccination against smallpox, authorities were
advised that because of the possibility of accidental infection of an
eczematous member of the family, it would be preferable for all routine
smallpox vaccinations to be carried out by, or with the knowledge of the
family doctor. Efforts to obtain prior agreement of the family doctor or his
performance of vaccination were most unsuccessful. The percentage vaccinated
between one and two years of age fell to less than half the number in
1968. All family doctors were informed and asked to indicate definitely if
they would undertake routine smallpox vaccination, or allow the doctor at the
Child Health Centre to proceed after careful questioning of the mother. A list
of the doctors specifically requesting reference of all children to them has
been compiled, and the figure for 1970 will be examined with this in mind.
Measles immunisation was partially suspended because cases of illness
followed the use of a certain type of vaccine. There was some alarm by
mothers in Croydon whose children had received this suspect virus, but no
harmful effects resulted.
For Tables see Appendix page 132