View report page

40
SECTION 26
VACCINATION AND IMMUNISATION
Clinics
Protection against whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus,
poliomyelitis and smallpox is given at 16 infant welfare
clinics in the Borough, and also by the majority of general
medical practitioners practising in the Borough.
Until November two different schedules of immunisation
were in force in the two constituent parts of the Borough.
This was undesirable for many reasons, not least of which
was that central direction must speak with one voice otherwise
confusion ensues. It was thought desirable that Redbridge and
four neighbouring Boroughs should have some uniformity in
programme because of movements of population in the area and
so medical representatives of all five Boroughs met and
designed an entirely new programme, taking into account the
most recent research work on the subject.
New Immunisation
Schedule
The new programme of immunisation starts at the age of
3 months when triple antigen (diphtheria, whooping cough and
tetanus) is injected and oral polio vaccine is given at the
same visit. By the time the child is 6 months old primary
protection against all four diseases has been achieved. This
is followed up by boosters against all four diseases between
the ages of 15 and 18 months and by primary vaccination
against smallpox during the second year of life. It is planned
to boost against diphtheria, tetanus and polio just before
school entry.
The programme has the virtue of simplicity; additionally,
it is started, and the primary course finished, while the mother
is in a most receptive mood and by reducing the number of
visits necessary improves the chance of completing the course
of injections, before other maternal responsibilities become
more pressing.
Protection
Rates
The table in Appendix 13 shows the number of completed
courses of immunisation by year of birth. It is estimated
that over three-quarters of those children born in 1965 who
were eligible to receive protection by reason of age were in
fact protected against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus and
polio. This is a very satisfactory result and is above the level
of herd protection which is theoretically necessary to prevent
epidemics of these diseases. The number of boosters given
against these diseases is shown also in Appendix 14.