The Department of Health is to launch a $12 million campaign aimed at improving vaccination rates for children across the country.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the campaign Get the Facts about Immunisation would roll out nationwide this week.
“Areas of low vaccination rates in one, two and five-year-olds will be micro-targeted in every State and Territory,” Mr Hunt said.
He said that while immunisation rates in Australia were high with almost 95 per cent of five-year-old children fully vaccinated, there were areas where the immunisation rate was low.
“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.
He said the campaign would help parents access evidence-based information to support their decision making around childhood vaccinations.
“The science is in and the medical expert’s advice is absolute – vaccinations save lives and protect lives and they are an essential part of a healthy society,” Mr Hunt said.
He said the campaign aimed to educate people about the importance of vaccinating on time, vaccine safety and the benefits of vaccination for the whole community.
“Skipping or delaying vaccinations puts children and those around them at risk of catching serious diseases,” Mr Hunt said.
“It’s important that children receive their vaccine on time, every time, for the best protection.”
The Minister said the eight-week campaign would run nationally on television for the first time, supported by a range of online channels.
