Why one-in-five kids are missing important immunisations

One-in-five Australian children are missing out on important vaccinations for diseases such as whooping cough, mumps, measles and rubella, due to fear over COVID-19.

A Royal Children’s Hospital survey found parents fear they or their children may contract the coronavirus if they go to the hospital or a GP to get vaccines.

Since lockdown began in March, 20 per cent of children who were due for a routine vaccine have had that delayed.

It’s a significant rise from the pre-lockdown figure of five per cent.

Director of the Royal Children’s Hospital Child Health Poll, Dr Anthea Rhodes, says the immunisation drop off is likely to cause disease outbreaks in future.

“We’re now seeing a significant number of kids who aren’t having their routine vaccines,” she told Ross and Russel.

“What we would expect is over time we’re at risk of seeing an increase in cases.

“That puts those individual kids at risk and also the broader community at risk.”

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