{"id":1146,"date":"2019-05-10T12:12:56","date_gmt":"2019-05-10T02:12:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thejugular.org\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2019-05-10T12:12:56","modified_gmt":"2019-05-10T02:12:56","slug":"anti-vaxx-memes-are-we-now-immune","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jugular.org.au\/index.php\/2019\/05\/10\/anti-vaxx-memes-are-we-now-immune\/","title":{"rendered":"Anti-Vaxx Memes: Are We Now Immune?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>7 Minute, 13 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n

written by SHIRIN SHABAN (edited by ROSIE KIRK)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I\u2019m sure we\u2019ve all seen the memes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The list goes on. Funny as they may be, laughing in the face of a serious threat to global health perpetuates inaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anti-vaccination sentiments are not a modern problem. For as long as vaccines have existed, there have been objections to their use, whether these be widespread or only in small, concentrated areas of the population. These objections have proven most severe when these deadly diseases recede into the annals of history [1]. In the absence of staggering death tolls and debilitating symptoms, some are now questioning the necessity of vaccinations. And in the age of overabundant digital information and social media\u2019s ability to bring together groups of like-minded people, vaccine scepticism is at an all-time high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Australia\u2019s high vaccination rates have steadily increased in recent years; The percentage of NSW children fully immunised at 12 months is 93.7%. By 24 months, however, the proportion of fully immunised children falls below 90% in seven of our fifteen local health districts (LHDs), including South Eastern Sydney, North Sydney and Western Sydney [2]. Although this sounds concerning, we can attribute this decrease to the recent change in the definition of \u2018full immunisation\u2019 at this age to include a fourth dose in addition to the usual three doses of DTPa-containing vaccine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the overall numbers, pockets of poor general immunisation coverage continue to exist. The Northern NSW LHD, including Byron Bay and Murwillumbah, has the lowest rates of coverage in the state. Data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows that in 2016-17 the percentage of fully immunised 1, 2 and 5-year-olds in Byron Bay lay below 75%, 70% and 75% respectively [3]. The numbers for Mullumbimby, north-west of Byron, are even lower. These figures demonstrate that Australia is not wholly immune to the alarming global anti-vaccination trends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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[4] Recorded vaccination objection by area, for children from 12 months to less than 7 years old.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The consequences of low and\/or declining vaccination rates have been made abundantly clear elsewhere in the world:<\/p>\n\n\n\n