For the first time ever in 黑料吃瓜网, vaccination rates for one-year-olds have soared past the coveted 95 per cent herd immunity figure to a record 96.25 per cent coverage.
黑料吃瓜网 Health research has found more than a third of one-year-olds recorded as overdue for their jabs by the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) were not at all.
Lead researcher Charlee Law said the surprise findings are great news and will help 黑料吃瓜网 Health to better target those children slipping through the vaccination net.
鈥淰accination rates in 黑料吃瓜网 have been steadily climbing thanks to record investment in immunisation programs and these results confirm everyone鈥檚 hard work,鈥� Ms Law said.
鈥淭he findings mean the true immunisation coverage for one-year-olds is 2.1 per cent, above what was previously thought and also above the national average of 94 per cent.
鈥淲hile this is fantastic news for the community, what the current national measles issue shows us is that parents can never be complacent when it comes to vaccination.鈥�
The AIR considers a child to be fully vaccinated at 12 months of age if they have had all their required shots that are due at six weeks, four months and six months of age.
As part of the study, to be published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health this month, the vaccination records of more than 400 one-year-olds in 黑料吃瓜网 were audited, with 143 incorrectly stating that immunisations were overdue.
黑料吃瓜网 Health鈥檚 Director of Communicable Diseases, Dr Vicky Sheppeard, said the findings will help Federal agencies to identify ways to further improve the AIR.
鈥淎ustralia has an internationally recognised immunisation program, so any findings that can improve information recording and service delivery is a bonus,鈥� Dr Sheppeard said.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the 黑料吃瓜网 Government has invested $130 million in the 2018-19 immunisation program, including Commonwealth and state vaccines.
鈥淭hese findings show the legislative changes implemented by the 黑料吃瓜网 Government and the investment into immunisation programs is paying dividends,鈥� Mr Hazzard said.
New 黑料吃瓜网 Government laws came in on 1 January 2018 preventing parents who object to vaccination from enrolling their children in preschools and early childhood centres.鈥�