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PERSONAL HEALTH
Tetanus
The recorded number of persons under sixteen years of age who received
a primary course of immunisation was 3,084 and 6,670 received a reinforcing
dose.
Of the children born in 1968, 3,591 had received primary immunisation by
the end of 1970, representing an acceptance rate of 90.54% (England and
Wales 80.2%).
Poliomyelitis
The recorded number of persons under sixteen years of age who received
a primary course of immunisation was 2,889 and 6,901 received a reinforcing
dose.
Of the children born in 1968, 3,355 had received primary immunisation by
the end of 1970, representing an acceptance rate of 84.59% (England and
Wales 78.5%).
Measles
The recorded number of persons under sixteen years of age who received
primary immunisation was 2,951.
Of the children born in 1968, 1,392 had received primary immunisation by
the end of 1970, representing an acceptance rate of 35.09%.
Distribution of Vaccines
The Health Department is responsible for the distribution of vaccines to
general medical practitioners. For this purpose collection centres are
located at the Health Office; the Town Hall, Palmers Green; and the Central
Clinic. Edmonton.
Vaccination of Staff
It is important to ensure that persons most liable to come into contact with
an undiagnosed case of smallpox and those required to deal with an outbreak
should maintain a high level of immunity. Included in this category
are certain members of the Health Department and their immediate families.
The practice of offering and encouraging vaccination annually was continued,
and during the year seventy members of the staff were vaccinated.
Certain categories of the Council's staff, e.g. labourers, gardeners, motor
mechanics and sewage and refuse disposal workers, because of the nature
of their work are particularly exposed to the risk of developing tetanus following
injury. The Council continued to offer vaccination against tetanus to
these groups and by the end of the year twenty-five staff had completed
a course of immunisation.
Immunisation against influenza was again offered to staff whose duties might
bring them into contact with patients suffering from influenza and accordingly
one hundred and twenty-seven were immunised.
International Cerificates
of Vaccination
Three forms of International Certificates of Vaccination have been prescribed,
namely, for smallpox, cholera and yellow fever.
Yellow fever vaccination must, for international and technical reasons, be
carried out at centres designated by the Government, and International
Certificates of Vaccination against yellow fever are supplied at those centres.
Vaccination against any disease other than yellow fever may be performed
by a person's own doctor. The International Certificate against smallpox
and cholera must be obtained by the traveller himself and taken to the
doctor for completion. These forms are usually obtainable, free of charge,
from the company arranging the traveller's transport, or otherwise from the
Department of Health and Social Security.
If the vaccinator is not an authorised user of an approved stamp, the person
vaccinated must have the certificate stamped by the local authority in whose
area the vaccinator practises. As in previous years, very many International
Certificates were stamped in this Department authenticating the signature
of the vaccinator.
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