Waikato District Health Board says it will start offering vaccinations for flu, MMR (measles, rumps and rubella) and whooping cough at its vaccination centres, alongside the Covid-19 vaccine.
“Our borders being closed for two years protected us from influenza but now they’ve reopened we will be exposed to new flu variants along with other viruses such as measles,” Waikato DHB medical officer of health Dr Felicity Dumble says.
“We need vaccination rates of 95% to reach ‘community immunity’ sometimes known as ‘herd immunity’ to help prevent outbreaks of diseases such as measles, mumps and rubella.”
Ministry of Health data shows significant drops in childhood immunisation since the pandemic began in 2020; the numbers disproportionately affect Māori and Pasifika with six-month immunisations dropping to 54 percent last year; it’s a similar story for flu vaccinations.
Dumble says a 2019 measles outbreak infected more than 2,000 people, and 700 had to go to hospital, Pertussis or whooping cough is also a concern, with the last outbreak in 2017 seeing as many as 600 cases a month.
“With the opening up of our borders and the expected return of whooping cough, we are encouraging pregnant women to get vaccinated against it as new-born babies getting the antibodies from their mums”
“Keeping to the immunisation schedule of six weeks, three months and five months of age is crucial in controlling outbreaks.”
Influenza immunisations are now free to Māori and Pacific people aged 55 and over, adults with health conditions such as asthma and diabetes, children aged four years or under who have a history of significant respiratory illness, and pregnant women. Pākehā aged 65 and over are also eligible to receive the free vaccine.
Covid-19 cases in Waikato have been dropping since early April and, while high vaccination rates free up staff to vaccinate for increasing prevalence of other illnesses, Dumble urges whānau to keep up to date with their Covid-19 vaccinations too.
“Covid-19 is also expected to be a continuing concern and overseas experience indicates a second peak is common. The DHB is encouraging all eligible people to get their Covid-19 booster to help protect against the Omicron variant,” Dumble said.
“When you get vaccinated you look after your own health and help prevent the spread of disease. These diseases can be really serious for our young pēpi and tamariki, so it’s vitally important we get vaccinated to keep them and future generations safe.”
Information on Booster vaccinations can be found here.
Information on Influenza vaccinations can be found at www.fightflu.co.nz