Nurses are at the front line of driving positive changes to help protect against communicable diseases. Change may not be easy, but small changes may have big impacts.1
Register now to access clinic and patient resources across a range of adult and childhood vaccines including influenza, HPV and travel vaccines.
With the right tools, you can begin making those small changes to positively impact immunisation in your clinic and community.
Most people understand the importance of childhood immunisations, however adolescents and adults may be at risk of developing vaccine-preventable diseases too2 – and as the adage goes – an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Immunisation rates have dropped post COVID and, in particular, adults and adolescents are lagging behind.3,4
“Australia continues to be an immunisation nation as parents protect their children from disease at record rates.”5
Adults who want to prevent disease will step forward to stay well, whether here at home or travelling abroad.6 How can we encourage others to catch up on their vaccinations?
More can be done to ensure all eligible adults receive their recommended vaccinations – especially those covered on the National Immunisation Program.2,3
* High-risk individuals include those aged >65 years, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and those with high-risk conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory conditions.3
COVID-19 has impacted routine vaccination in schools programs – monitoring of catch-up vaccination levels in adolescents will be important now and into the future.3,7
Join Community Immunity today to access the resources you need to make positive change and help protect your community against communicable diseases.
1. Australian College of Nursing. Nurses, Immunisation and Health – Discussion Paper [October 2019], ACN, Canberra. www.acn.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/discussion-paper-nurses-immunisation-and-health.pdf [accessed January 2024]. 2. Australian Government Department of Health. National Immunisation Program schedule. www.health.gov.au/health-topics/immunisation/when-to-get-vaccinated/national-immunisation-program-schedule [accessed January 2024]. 3. Breadon, P and Burfurd, I. 2023. A fair shot: How to close the vaccination gap. Grattan Institute. https://grattan.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/A-fair-shot-How-to-close-the-vaccination-gap-Grattan-Institute-Report.pdf [accessed February 2024]. 4. Annual Immunisation Coverage Report 2022. https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2024-01/NCIRS%20Annual%20immunisation%20coverage%20report%202022.pdf [accessed February 2024]. 5. Ministers Department of Health and Aged Care. Australian childhood immunisation rates go from strength to strength [published August 2021]. www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-greg-hunt-mp/media/australian-childhood-immunisation-rates-go-from-strength-to-strength [accessed January 2024]. 6. Queensland Government. Vaccination Matters. Importance of getting vaccinated [updated April 2023]. www.vaccinate.initiatives.qld.gov.au/why-vaccinate/importance-of-getting-vaccinated [accessed February 2024]. 7. National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS). Impact of COVID-19 on school-based vaccination programs. 2023. https://ncirs.org.au/sites/default/files/2023-04/COVID%20impact%20on%20schools_Final%20report_April%202023.pdf [accessed February 2024].
