Stronger incentives for immunization of children in Australia

Australia’s childhood immunization arrangements are to be reformed with the aim of increasing the immunization rates of Australian children over time, including a number of financial incentives, the government announced last Friday.

Immunization remains the safest and most effective way for parents to protect their children from disease, it was noted. In Australia, currently about nine in 10 children are immunized. But, currently 8% of one year olds, 7% of two year olds, and 11% of five year olds are not immunized - which is a real risk to their health and to the health of other children.

The government will take the following actions:

• Families will now need to have their children fully immunized to receive the A$726 ($730) Family Tax Benefit Part A end-of-year supplement.
• A new immunization check will be introduced for one year olds to supplement the existing immunization checks at two and five years of age.
• This means that over the three immunization check points, families will have an incentive of more than A$2,100 to ensure their child is fully immunized.
• Children will for the first time be required to receive vaccines for meningococcal C, pneumococcal and varicella (chicken pox).
• A combination vaccine will replace individual doses of vaccine for measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chicken pox) – which means children will be immunized against measles, mumps and rubella earlier, at 18 months instead of the current four years of age.