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VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
The occurrence of a case of smallpox in a nearby district caused a considerable
public demand for smallpox vaccination in the early part of the year. This is reflected in
the vastly increased figures for vaccination shown in this year's report.
During the year a special effort was made to immunise the children of the Borough
against tetanus (lockjaw). In addition to the work of the health visitors and other staff
in speaking personally to parents, all parents of schoolchildren were sent a circular
inviting them to give their consent to their children being immunised either by their
general practitioner or by the Local Health Authority. As a result 6,656 children
received at least a primary course of immunisation against tetanus. The pre-school
children in most cases received this as part of the triple injection (combined immunisation
against whooping cough, diphtheria and tetanus.)
An important development during the year was the introduction of oral poliomyelitis
vaccine. This not only has the advantage of being taken by mouth instead of by
injection, but is also believed to produce a greater degree of immunity against the disease.
It can also be given to the contacts of a case of poliomyelitis to stop the growth and
further spread of disease-producing viruses. We had occasion to use the vaccine in this
way during the year when an unvaccinated schoolchild developed poliomyelitis. This
was the only case of poliomyelitis notified to the Department in 1962.
The state of protection of children against diphtheria, tetanus and poliomyelitis is
reviewed at the first and second routine school medical inspections (i.e., at the ages
approximately of 5 and 11 years), and parents are invited to consent to their children
receiving any immunisations for which they are due.
B.C.G. vaccination (against tuberculosis) is offered to children during their second
year at secondary school i.e., at about 13 years of age.