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October 30, 2002

INTERNATIONAL IMMUNIZATION NEWS

"A Shot in the Arm for the Health of Children [in Australia]" Daily Telegraph (AU) (www.dailytelegraph.news.com.au) (10/30/02) P. 5; Dunlevy, Sue

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation has recommended extra pneumococcal vaccinations and new chickenpox shots for infants, and whooping cough vaccinations for teens, as well as a possible switch from the oral polio vaccine to an injection, and the federal government is likely to adopt the recommendations.  The new vaccinations would cost approximately A$100 million per year.  The pneumococcal shots would be given at two months, four months, and six months of age, while the chickenpox vaccine would be administered at 18 months and then again between 10 years and 13 years.  The polio vaccine would be changed to an injection (IPV) to reduce the chance of the very rare side effect of paralysis with the oral polio vaccine.  In addition, the group wants teens between 15 and 17 years of age vaccinated against whooping cough to stop its spread, as it is particularly dangerous to infants.  Approximately 9,000 cases of whooping cough were recorded in Australia last year.  The new draft immunization schedule, of which the recommendations are a part, has been issued for public comment.

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