With all the changes and advances in healthcare, vaccination remains one of the most effective public health interventions. It gives infants, children, young people and adults protection against illnesses which can cause death or disability.
Immunisation has both a direct and indirect effect.
The direct effect is the protection induced in the individual receiving the immunising agent.
The indirect effect is the reduction of the incidence of the disease in others, the so called ‘herd immunity’.
Herd immunity is achieved when a sufficiently high percentage of the population are immunised, making it unlikely that un-immunised individuals will come into contact with the specific disease. Herd immunity is usually dependant on maintaining an immunisation coverage rate of over 95% of the target population.
In 2006/7 Blackburn with Darwen achieved, by the second birthday, 94.8% uptake (compared with 93% nationally) for primary childhood immunisation against :
Local uptake at this age for MMR was 85.3% (compared with 84% nationally).
There is a local pattern of lower uptake in areas of higher deprivation, but no relationship to ethnic group.
Geographical distribution of uptake is shown in the two maps below.
Uptake of primary childhood immunisation by 2nd birthday.
Uptake of MMR immunisation by 2nd birthday.
Increasing overall uptake of MMR and reducing variation in coverage remains the highest local priority for childhood vaccination.
There is a leaflet to download explaining the importance of MMR vaccination in preventing serious disease.
For more local information see Chapter 12 of the Blackburn with Darwen 2007 Annual Public Health Report.
