Pockets of low vaccination rates to be targeted in new campaign

With the lowest vaccination rates in the state, inner city Sydney, the Eastern Suburbs and Byron Bay are set to be “micro targeted” in a new campaign aimed at disinformation hot spots.

• Multi-billion dollar NDIS scheme ‘riddled with fraud’
• Cost of medicinal cannabis forcing sufferers on to black market

Pockets of low child vaccination rates around Australia will be “micro-targeted” in a $12 million campaign targeting selfish parents set to roll out today.

Although vaccination rates for five-year-olds are at a record high of 94.78 per cent — just shy of the gold standard target of 95 per cent — parts of the NSW north coast, inner Sydney and eastern suburbs are disinformation hot spots stubbornly resisting the vital public health scheme.

Places like Richmond Valley, which takes in the Byron Shire, still have a low vaccination rate of 84.67 per cent, the lowest in the country, while Sydney Inner City and the Eastern Suburbs also have vaccination rates of just 88 per cent.

A flyer for a health seminar held in Byron Bay featuring prominent anti-vaccine activists.

Byron Bay has some of the lowest child vaccination rates in NSW.

MORE BY JANE HANSEN

EpiPen shortage putting children’s lives at risk

No porky: Pigs now big business as therapy pets

How Koby’s quick-thinking saved little brother’s life

Health minister Greg Hunt said the fourth phase of the Get the Facts about Immunisation campaign will run for eight weeks nationally and includes television advertisements and online social media channels.

“It is these areas of low coverage which pose risks to the community, especially to people who can’t be vaccinated, like newborns and those with medical reasons,” Mr Hunt said.

Each state has anti-vax hot spots. In Queensland it is Inner Brisbane – 89.87 per cent; South Australia it is Adelaide city – 83.87 per cent; Victoria it is Melbourne city – 89.96 per cent; Western Australia it is Freemantle – 89.71 per cent

“This campaign will help parents access evidence based information to support their decision making about childhood vaccinations.

Minister for Health Greg Hunt said the new vaccination campaign will run for eight weeks nationally. Picture: AAP

“The campaign aims to educate people about the importance of vaccinating on time, vaccine safety, and the benefits of vaccination for the whole community,” Mr Hunt said.

Coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children at five years is above the target at 96.87 per cent.

Since the introduction of No Jab No Play/Pay initiatives championed by The Sunday and Daily Telegraph and implemented by both state and federal governments since 2014, immunisation rates have risen year on year.

The proportion of Australian children fully vaccinated at 12 months in 2012 was just 91.7 per cent.