Friday, 13 July 2018

Five-year-olds in Victoria are now better protected against diseases prevented by vaccination than in any other state in Australia, new data shows.

Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing today announced the latest figures from the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register that show 99.15  per cent of five-year-olds across Latrobe are now fully immunised.

Across Victoria, 95.7 per cent of kids aged five are now fully immunised – the best rate of all Australian states and territories.

The Andrews Labor Government’s ‘No Jab, No Play’ laws have seen a steady increase in immunisation rates for Victorian children. Before these laws came into effect, rates were 92.85 per cent, but thanks to our tough new laws, immunisation rates have powered past our ambitious ‘herd immunity’ target.

The data also shows 97.3 per cent of Indigenous children in Victoria aged five years are fully immunised.

The 95 per cent ‘herd immunity’ target is necessary to halt the spread of dangerous and virulent diseases such as measles. High rates of vaccination provide important protection for those who cannot receive vaccines, such as babies who are too young or people who cannot receive vaccines for medical reasons.

The Labor Government takes a strong approach when it comes to vaccination. We brought back the free whooping cough vaccination program for mums and dads after it was cut by the Liberals, protecting Victoria’s youngest people from the deadly disease.

The Government’s new ‘No Jab, No Play’ rules mean only Immunisation History Statements from the Australian Immunisation Register will be accepted as evidence of immunisation and as evidence of medical exemption to vaccination when enrolling a child at childcare or kindergarten.

The Liberals axed the whooping cough vaccination because they can’t help but cut our health system. They can’t be trusted with it comes to health, because all they do is cut.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy

“Immunisation is safe, effective and it saves lives. We’re so glad that more parents than ever before are taking heed of the message and keeping their kids safe.”

“The Liberals axed the free whooping cough vaccination and cut hundreds of millions of dollars from our health system, but we’re putting families first and keeping our youngest Victorians safe.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

 “These are more than just statistics – this is about protecting Gippsland kids from deadly, vaccine-preventable diseases.”

 “This data shows that parents are listening to the experts and the science – and ignoring those who tout misinformation that puts kids at risk.”