Why should my parents have me immunised?
Since the introduction of routine childhood immunisation, diseases such as poliomyelitis, tetanus and diptheria – which were devastating when your grandparents and greatgrandparents were children – have been virtually eliminated in Australia.Even “childhood” illnesses such as measles are usually uncommon and the threat of whooping cough has been reduced.
However, outbreaks occur, especially through contact with countries where immunisation is not as thorough as in Australia. Immunisation can also protect you from the particular strain of “the flu” (influenza) that is expected to be common in Australia each winter.
However, it is not usually expected that older children and teenagers will seek immunisation against influenza – usually it is very small children and babies, and older people and those weakened by illness, who are strongly advised to have the “flu vaccine”. Other adults may seek it if they work closely with large groups of people or if they want the insurance against the illness the vaccine provides.
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