Progress Of Diphtheria Immunisation

Chronicle (Levin), 8 July 1948, Page 2

Progress Of Diphtheria Immunisation

Although there are few cuhcs of diphtheria at the lnoment the Leiiartnient of Health is keeping up its cautpaign of immunisation so that this state of affairs niay continue. .Hr. T. Lonie, kledical Oiiicer for the Wellington- I-Iawke 's Bav distriet, pointed out yesterdav that it was necessttry to iiilmuiuse every baby and cliild if the disease was to be completely wiped out. "If we get tlieni all we ean be surc at least of a 90 per eent prevention of any spread of the disease, " he said. "In 1945 we iniiuimiscd 2.479 children and had 142 cases of diphtheria. We estimate there to be about 5000 birtlis eaeh-year. In 1946 there were 6451 inuuunisatidu .opcrations performed, but this Avas a year of cpidemic and there were 242 cas^s. In 1947 we did 4926 imniunisatipns and had 69 cases. >So far t'his year we liave iinihunised 9(59 babies and children up to 1lie end of May, which means that at Ihe end of the year we will have a total of about 2400." l)r. Lonie said the Department 's uolicy was to encourage immunisation by privatc doctors. The clinics had been elosed during the poliomyelitis "pidemic, but had been, opened again. 1 iack of staff was hampering expanaion. He said the best time to immunise a baby was between six month, s and the first birthday. Oue dose lhight protect Ihe child for life, but it was wise to have it given another when it M'cnt to ,-;ehool as this was a time when it.camc into contact witli tnany new people and sourees of infection. Full protection "ould not be obtained for a period of about three months after the last iniection, so it was not wise to wait until there was an outbreak. The usual treatment was two injeetions only with an intorval of one to two months betweeh. Tt was very rare for the in.ioctions to upspt the child in any way, and the vounger the child the less the chance of a fsore arai,'