From: Subject: Vaccine bid on children | Herald Sun Date: Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:06:58 +1100 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; type="text/html"; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0000_01C9B212.563BB9C0" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0000_01C9B212.563BB9C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25256288-661,00.html Vaccine bid on = children | Herald Sun
Welcome to Herald Sun. Skip = to: Search=20 Box Section=20 Navigation Network=20 Navigation Content=20 View=20 the Sitemap

Vaccine bid on children

Article from: Sunday Herald Sun
  • Font = size:=20 Decrease Increase
  • Email article: Email=20
  • Print article: Print
  • Submit comment: Submit=20 comment

Laurie Nowell

March 29, 2009 = 12:00am

EVERY Australian = child would=20 be vaccinated against the flu under a plan being proposed by leading = infant=20 health experts.

The push comes after a trial of pediatric influenza vaccinations = reduced=20 hospitalisations for flu in under-5s by almost 90 per cent.

And it follows new data showing flu rates in children under two are = now seven=20 times higher than for the elderly.

The immunisation trial, carried out in Western Australia, was the = first in=20 Australia.

The results, released during the week, showed two doses of the = vaccine were=20 88 per cent effective at preventing hospital admission with an = influenza-related=20 condition in those younger than five years.

And laboratory-confirmed influenza among young children was almost = halved in=20 flu season compared with the previous year, the 2008 trial showed.

Royal Children's Hospital pediatric infectious diseases physician Jim = Buttery=20 said the trial indicated parents were receptive to the benefits of an = influenza=20 vaccination.

"There are reasons why we think an immunisation program might be a = good idea=20 and things like this trial provide us with valuable information," Dr = Buttery=20 said.

"And now some people are saying all kids under five should be = immunised."=20

Pediatric immunologist Peter Richmond said the trial showed the = vaccine was=20 safe and well tolerated.

National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance deputy = director=20 Kristine Macartney presented new national data to the annual scientific = meeting=20 of the Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases during the week. =

It showed influenza-related hospitalisations were higher in children = younger=20 than five years than in adults older than 65.

Dr Macartney said when it came to developing policy on universal flu = shots=20 for children, the burden of disease was only one piece of the puzzle, = with=20 issues such as vaccine effectiveness and acceptability yet to be=20 determined.

Share this article = What is this?

3D"Choose

Also in News

  • Tenders=20 called: Brumby clears way for bypass=20
  • Mother's=20 pain: Compo bid on Farquharson murders=20
  • Psychological=20 risks: Mum loses kids for being anti-dad=20
  • Crime=20 gang: Parking meter racket nets $800,000=20
  • Tequila=20 tantrum: Naked man's gun firing blanks=20
  • Positive=20 signs: Melbourne house prices on rise=20
  • Comedy=20 festival: Lawyer turned crim turns comedian=20
  • London=20 prison: Arsonist escapes by clinging to van=20
  • Hockey=20 help: Costello working behind the scenes=20
  • Watch=20 the video: Cousins back on track at training=20
  • Vulnerable:=20 Aussie military unfit for combat=20
  • Airline=20 poll: Virgin gives greatest satisfaction=20
  • Ballarat=20 plant: Truck firm slashes workers=20
  • Fewer=20 wrinkles: Stay large, look younger =96 study=20
  • Snapped=20 at 136km/h: Hoon drives hole in speed laws =
  • Font = size:=20 Decrease Increase
  • Email article: Email=20
  • Print article: Print

Have = Your=20 Say

We welcome your comments on this story. Comments are submitted for = possible=20 publication on the condition that they may be edited. Please provide = your full=20 name. We also require a working email address - not for publication, but = for=20 verification. The location field is optional. Read our = publication=20 guidelines.

Submit your feedback = here:

=20
=
=
=20 =
=20 =20
=20

(So you don't have to retype your details each time you send=20 feedback.)

=20

Search for more stories on this topic on Newstext, our news archive = service. Click=20 here

Andrew Bolt blog

=20

Premier's Active Families = Challenge

=20

=20


Click here to see the latest from the L'Oreal Melbourne Fashion=20 Festival

Advertisement

Tools

=20 =20
  • Mobiles/PDAs =
  • RSS=20 Feeds=20
  • Video=20
  • Audio =

=A9 Herald and Weekly Times. All times AEDT (GMT + = 11).=20