View report page

42
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
The acceptance rate by parents for vaccination and immunisation
in the borough was above the national average for the three main
categories of protection offered (i.e. whooping cough, diphtheria and
poliomyelitis).
During July a circular letter was received from the Chief
Medical Officer at the Department of Health and Social Security,
indicating that vaccination against smallpox need no longer be recommended
as a routine procedure in early childhood, because the chances of the
introduction of smallpox into Great Britain have substantially diminished
and are likely to lessen. Also, although vaccination is a safe and
reliable method of protection against smallpox for the vast majority of
persons and the number of serious complications in childhood few, these
complications are now out of proportion to the risk of smallpox in Great
Britain. The circular advised however that all travellers to and from
areas of the world where smallpox is endemic, or where eradication
programmes are still in progress, should continue to be protected by
revaccination. Also health service staff, likely to come into contact
with smallpox patients, should continue to be offered vaccination and
regular revaccination.
In view of this circular vaccination against smallpox as a
routine procedure in early childhood was discontinued.
Immunisation against rubella (German measles) became available
during the latter part of 1970 and at first, girls in their thirteenth
year were offered this protection. Subsequently this age was reduced to
the twelfth year of life so that girls are now offered this protection
during their first year at secondary school. 1,387 received the injection
during the year.