Whanganui District Health Board: Take some time to think about family health in immunisation week

WDHB chief medical officer Frank Rawlinson says that immunisation needs to be a lifelong commitment. Photo/ Stuart Munro

Immunisation "needs to be a lifelong commitment from cradle to the grave" says Whanganui District Health Board (WDHB) chief medical officer Frank Rawlinson.

Immunisation Week runs from Monday, April 30 until Sunday, May 6 and is a good time for people to think about how important immunisation is for their health and for that of their whānau.

"While childhood immunisations are critically important, people need to understand that there are vulnerable groups in the community who should be protected by immunisations," Rawlinson said.

"The elderly over 65 for example, need to be immunised against serious illnesses such as shingles and influenza."

Rawlinson encourages all pregnant women to be immunised against whooping cough and influenza - as pregnant women who become ill with flu face a great risk of complications.

"Protection for babies begins with the immunisation of pregnant mothers against whooping cough," he said.

"The mother's immunity is passed to her baby until they are old enough to be immunised themselves."

Starting in 2018, more than a thousand cases of whooping cough have been notified to the Ministry of Health and 72 of those (including 31 babies) have been hospitalised.

"Babies who are sick with whooping cough may not be able to feed or breathe properly," Rawlinson said.

"They can become very ill and may need to be cared for in hospital."

Whooping cough immunisation is free to any woman who is between 28 and 38 weeks pregnant and influenza immunisation is free for pregnant women at any stage.

Influenza immunisation is free and recommended every year for those aged 65 and older.

Shingles immunisation is now free at age 65 and until March 31 2020, anyone aged between 66 and 80 is eligible for a free dose of the vaccine.

Combined tetanus and diphtheria immunisation is recommended at age 65.