Senior health and medical researchers at the University of Wollongong have united to urge all parents to ensure their children are fully immunised. Researchers across the university want parents to have the best clinical and scientific evidence to enable them to make informed decisions about what is best for their child.
The evidence is clear. Immunisation protects children and saves lives. While individuals may express personal opinions, the international scientific evidence overwhelmingly supports immunisation to protect children from infectious diseases.
Professor Heather Yeatman, UOW Professor of Public Health and President of the Public Health Association of Australia, said immunisation was one of the best choices parents could make. Parents should be confident that immunising children is best practice.
“Along with healthy foods, hand washing and a loving environment, immunisation is one of those basic things we can do to safeguard our children’s health,” Professor Yeatman said.
“For more than 50 years children have been immunised and it is one of our best success stories in public health.
“Immunisation provides an important safeguard against infectious disease when children go to school or play with others. Immunisation is also important to protect young babies, for older adults and when people are travelling overseas.”
Large-scale immunisation programs began in the 1930s and gathered pace in the 1950s. According to the Australian Government website, Immunise Australia, this has led to a 99% drop in deaths from vaccine preventable disease.
The Public Health Association of Australia describes immunisation as “one of the highest impact and cost-effective public health interventions, preventing 2-3 million deaths worldwide each year.”
Any parent with concerns should talk with their doctor, early childhood centre or community nurse, or go to the Immunise Australia website.
The Australasian Medical Research and Clinical Societies has applauded the support of vaccination by University of Wollongong academics. View the statement from The Australasian Medical Research and Clinical Societies.
For further information/comment:
Professor Heather Yeatman 0409 849679
Professor Alison Jones 0420 378471
Professor Alison Jones
Executive Dean, Faculty of Science Medicine and Health
Professor Glenn Salkeld
Executive Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences (incoming)
Senior Professor Kathy Eagar
Director, Australian Health Service Research Institute
Professor Heather Yeatman
Head, School of Health and Society
Professor Ian Wilson
Dean of Medicine Distinguished
Professor Antoine van Oijen
ARC Laureate Fellow
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Senior Professor Julie Steele
Professor Biomechanics
Senior Professor Sharon Robinson
Biological Sciences
Professor Jenny Beck
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Professor William Buttemer
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Australian Health Services Research Institute
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Public Health (Nutrition)
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Protein Chemistry
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Australian Health Services Research Institute
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