Vaccine misinformation, reduced confidence in doctors cause drop in childhood immunisation rates

A loss of confidence in the medical profession and mistrust of vaccines during the COVID pandemic are causing childhood immunisation rates to drop, a Gold Coast physician says. Key points: The rate of fully immunised children in Australia has dropped since 2020 Health authorities and researchers say people have lost confidence in vaccines due to misinformation during the COVID pandemic Australia's target rate for fully immunised children is 95 per cent The number of children who are fully immunised in line with the National Immunisation Program has fallen nationally since peaking in 2020. Federal health department figures show the Gold Coast Primary Health Network recorded the country's second-lowest rates of fully vaccinated one and five-year-olds in 2022 at 90.54 and 91.72 per cent respectively. The New South Wales North Coast Primary Health Network, which borders the Gold Coast, recorded the lowest rates, well below the national target of 95 per cent. Lowest full immunisation rates for 5yo children by Primary Health Network North Coast — 90.05 per cent Gold Coast — 91.72 per cent Central Queensland and Sunshine Coast — 91.97 per cent Central and Eastern Sydney — 92.13 per cent Country WA — 92.32 per cent Source: Australian Immunisation Register December 2022 "People have been exposed to a lot of misinformation and not much debate about vaccines and why we do it, what are the benefits and, if you're not going to do it, what are the risks," Professor McMillan said.