Ireland's childhood immunisation rates are now at the highest levels ever recorded, according to the HSE.

New figures from the HSE's Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) show that at 12 months of age, 92% of Irish children are appropriately vaccinated; in other words, they have had all three of the recommended doses of the 'six in one' vaccine.

This vaccine protects against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, haemophilus influenza (Hib, which causes meningitis and septicaemia), polio and hepatitis B.

The HPSC report also shows that at 24 months of age, 96% of Irish children are vaccinated with the six in one; however, the HPSC says some children are missing out on other vaccines at this age.

For example, only 86% to 91% of children have received the Hib, pnemococcal conjugate (which protects against meningitis and septicaemia) and meningitis C vaccine after 12 months.

The additional dose after this age is needed to prolong the immune response to the vaccine in these children - without the additional dose these children are at increased risk.

The new figures also show that at 24 months of age, 93% of children have had the MMR vaccine, a marked improvement on previous years.

At four to five years of age, 90% of children received the four in one vaccine and 89% received a dose of MMR vaccine.

Two vaccines are recommended for children at the time of school entry - the booster dose of four-in-one (diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio) and a dose of MMR vaccine.

HPSC specialist in public health medicine Dr Suzanne Cotter said while it was welcome that more children than never are now vaccinated, it is still important to remind parents that children need to fully complete the childhood immunisation schedule to be protected against a range of serious diseases which are vaccine-preventable.

She warned that some children, teenagers, and adults may still be vulnerable to vaccine-preventable diseases because they were never vaccinated, incompletely vaccinated or have lost their immunity as a result of age, or illness, or duration of time that has elapsed since their immunisation.

Dr Cotter said for some vaccines, booster doses may be needed after a period of time to counteract waning immunity.

This week is European Immunisation Week

See also www.immunisation.ie

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