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Following the announcement of this extension of the scheme,
1,841 more children were registered in Walthamstow, bringing the
total number up to 5,021.
Vaccination began in May, 1956, with the 1947/54 group and
vaccination has been offered to the parents of all children who were
registered in 1956 and to many of those registered subsequently.
Three hundred and forty-nine vaccinations were completed in 1956.
Up to 31st Decmber, 1957, 2,862 children had received two
doses of vaccine, given either by their family doctor or by the
medical staff of the Health Department, and a further 525 children
had received their first injection.
During November, 1957, it was announced that the scheme
for vaccination could be further extended to include children born
in the years 1943 to 1946 inclusive and those born in 1957 who
had reached the age of 6 months.
Vaccination is now available therefore, to every child between
the age of 6 months and the 15 th birthday.
In addition, expectant mothers are now a first priority for
vaccination and certain special groups of individuals who are particularly
exposed to the risk of infection are also eligible for vaccination.
The number of children vaccinated has been governed by the
availability of supplies of vaccine, which at first was produced in
England by only one firm. Recently, however, production of vaccine
has been commenced by a second British manufacturer and it
is hoped that there will now be a substantial increase in the amount
available from these sources.
In order to cope with the extended programme of vaccination,
it was found necessary to supplement the supply of British vaccine
with Salk vaccine manufactured in Canada and the U.S.A. First
supplies of this material were received in mid-January, 1958.
The position at the end of each calendar year was as follows:—
Year Running Totals of First dose only
Completed Cases
1956 349 15
1957 2,862 525
The vaccine has been singularly free from reaction of any kind.
B.C.G. VACCINATION
Vaccination of schoolchildren in the year preceding their fourteenth
birthday continued. The scheme was fully described in the
report of the School Medical Officer for 1954. During 1957