Vaccine success depends on us all playing a part

Fatal cases of whooping cough in Australia are rare. That is why the sad story of the death of four-week-old Riley Hughes this week is so notable. We hear of so few incidents like this simply because the immunisation program in this country has been extremely successful.

It has all but wiped out local infections of diseases such as measles and diphtheria. And illnesses such as polio are considered eradicated.

Immunisation works but it depends on everyone in a society playing a part. Anyone from an older generation who lived through an era when polio, for example, was a real threat would understand the importance of vaccines. But younger generations, who have grown up free of this crippling condition, can become complacent about the importance of vaccinations simply because they have no firsthand experience of these diseases.

There is a strong argument for compulsory vaccinations for children, with no exemptions, before they can attend child care or school or receive government benefits. Some parents will claim the right to make their own decisions. But when people opt out, for whatever reason, the wider community’s “herd immunity” suffers.

The overwhelming majority of West Australians choose to do the responsible thing and have their children immunised. In the case of whooping cough, the program involves a vaccine at two months, four months and six months, at four years and again about the time they start high school.

But WA has the worst immunisation rates in the country. The national average rate of fully vaccinated children aged 24-27 months is 91.2 per cent. In WA, it is 89.9 per cent.

The reasons for the poor record in WA may be parents’ ignorance or oversight or a deliberate stance against vaccinations for health or religious reasons. People have a right to a contrary opinion and it must be acknowledged that there are complications in a small percentage of vaccines. The side effects can be grave as was seen in WA five years ago when a problematic batch of flu vaccine caused some serious health issues.

This is a tragedy for the individuals affected but the value of immunisation to society as a whole must outweigh the tiny chance of something going wrong.

The more people who are vaccinated, the less likely that diseases can spread and infect others, particularly very young children who have not finished their immunisation schedule and are still vulnerable.

There is strong science behind the safety of vaccines. Those who prefer to believe the claims of “pop science” or rumours about the risks are doing themselves a disservice and putting others in the community at risk. Claims of links between some vaccines and autism, for example, have long been discredited but still the stories linger.

Riley Hughes never had the chance to enjoy the benefit of the herd immunity. At just four weeks, he was too young for his first round of whooping cough vaccine.

His untimely death should act as a spur for West Australians holding out against immunisations to make the sensible and socially responsible decision to ensure their families’ vaccinations are up to date.