Whooping cough outbreak sparks immunisation call

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http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/13/2515194.htm

Whooping cough outbreak sparks immunisation call

Posted 3 hours 43 minutes ago

Parents are being urged to immunise their children after four regions of New

South Wales, including the south coast and the southern highlands, were

implicated in the return of old diseases such as whooping cough.

The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance has found

parents on the north and south coasts, the southern highlands and in the

Blue Mountains are less likely to have their children immunised.

Health Minister Della Bosca says parents should not be worried about

immunising their children.

" It is the case that some people ... For various reasons have become less

inclined to immunise their children, " he said.

" The important message is the risks of immunisation are very low and the

benefits - not only to the particular child and their family, but to the

community as a whole - are very high. "