Start off school with a jab

YARRA Ranges parents are being urged to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated before starting primary school.
Eastern Ranges GP Association chairman Dr Barbara Inness, said: “Most commonly the four-year-old vaccinations are forgotten.
“These vaccines protect children from diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, mumps and rubella.”
“Four-year-olds are at an important stage in their lives. They are often starting at a new school and coming into contact with a much larger group of people, making them more at risk of coming into contact with diseases.”
Immunisation plays a critical role in protecting the health, not only of children but of the broader community.
For Kristin Michaels, CEO of the Eastern Ranges GP Association, the recent eradication of endemic measles in Australia is proof of the success of immunisation procedures.
“Ten years ago, immunisation levels were between 50-60 per cent, today they are up around 90 per cent.
“What this means is that Australian kids’ lives are being saved because of immunisation.”