The best — and worst — Adelaide suburbs for child vaccination rates

THE Adelaide suburbs that have the highest and lowest child vaccination rates have been revealed — and one expensive beachside zone is among the worst in the nation. CHECK THE STATS FOR YOUR AREA

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CHILD vaccination rates in middle-class South Australian suburbs such as Fairview Park, Surrey Downs and St Agnes are among the best in the nation, while rates in Glenelg rank as some of the worst, a ­report reveals.

Economically depressed areas in the metropolitan north also fared poorly, with Davoren Park and parts of Elizabeth also recording lower-than-­average rates of vaccination.

The National Health Performance Authority’s report shows 90.9 per cent of children aged one, two and five were fully immunised nationally in 2014-15.

SA fared relatively well compared with other states, with 91 per cent of one-year-olds, 87.8 per cent of two-year-olds and 90.5 per cent of five-year-olds fully vaccinated.

In Fairview Park, Surrey Downs and Yatala Vale, 98.1 per cent of one-year-olds were immunised — the second best rate in the ­nation, behind Kingston in Tasmania (98.2 per cent).

Tea Tree Gully immunisation clinic team leader Sherie Cooper said the council’s good providers and its “quality and child-friendly service” were the reasons why vaccination its rates were so high.

St Agnes couple Wendy and Anthony O'Brien with 10-week-old daughter Celia, who has been immunised. Pic: Mark Brake

“We’re quite regularly promoting vaccinations and how important it is for children to be vaccinated (and) we have a high return rate of past clients because they’re really happy with our service,” she said.

Glenelg’s vaccination rate of 82.1 per cent ranked it among some of the nation’s lowest.

SA Health chief medical officer Professor Paddy Phillips said he was pleased with the results but that there was still room for improvement.

He said the Government would continue campaigning to lift immunisation rates, but it was up to parents to make sure kids were vaccinated.

“Parents should think hard about what their children are missing out on and the consequences ... (such as) severe harm and even death if (non-vaccinated children) catch a vaccine-preventable disease,” he said.

“They (parents) are not only putting their own children at risk but also the rest of the community.”

Australian Medical Association state president Dr Janice Fletcher said SA still “had a way to go” to meet the national target of 95 per cent of all children fully immunised.

“Not only does immunisation help protect those immunised it also contributes to a healthy community and the wiping out of vaccine-preventable diseases,” she said.

“It is proven to work, it is cost effective, and it saves lives.”

According to the national immunisation schedule, children aged up to 12 months can be vaccinated against such diseases as whooping cough, meningococcal, measles, mumps and rubella.

New mum Wendy O’Brien, of St Agnes, said her daughter Celia, 10 weeks, had just received her latest round of vaccinations, including hepatitis B and tetanus.

“Having Celia immunised is the right thing ... (vaccinations) don’t just protect individuals but also our community,” she said.