Australia's Childhood Vaccination Coverage Plummets to 12-Year Low
Childhood vaccination coverage in Australia has reached its lowest point in 12 years, with over 80,000 children aged five and under not up to date with their immunisations by the end of last year.
New data from the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) indicates a fifth consecutive year of decline in childhood vaccination coverage at the one, two, and five-year milestones. NCIRS director Kristine Macartney highlighted that vaccine coverage is falling across all age groups since 2020.
Declining Vaccination Rates Across Age Groups
The latest figures reveal significant drops in coverage:
- One-year-olds: Coverage dropped to 90.5 percent, marking a 4.3 percentage point decrease in five years.
- Two-year-olds: Coverage fell to 88.4 percent, a 3.7 percentage point decrease in five years. This is the first time coverage has dropped below 90 percent for this age group.
- Five-year-olds: Coverage declined to 92.5 percent, a 2.3 percentage point decrease in five years.
This decline impacts vaccinations for critical diseases including measles, mumps, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough (pertussis), and bacteria causing meningitis and pneumonia.
The NCIRS also noted a concerning decrease in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine uptake among teenagers, falling short of the 90 percent target. Adolescent HPV vaccination coverage dropped to 78.7 percent in girls and 75.6 percent in boys, representing a decrease of 7.9 and 9.3 percentage points respectively since 2020.
Impact and Underlying Causes
"If this trajectory continues, there will be more deaths from vaccine-preventable diseases."
— Professor Kristine Macartney, NCIRS Director
The grave consequences of declining rates are already evident. Two infant deaths from whooping cough have been recorded in the last two years, marking the first such fatalities in approximately a decade. Naomi Steenson shared her poignant experience of losing her son, Blake, to whooping cough in 1997 when he was too young to be immunised.
The decline in vaccination uptake is attributed to a complex mix of factors related to both access and acceptance of immunisations. These challenges include:
- Competing family priorities and time constraints.
- Costs associated with travel to appointments and other logistical burdens.
- Lack of accessible or culturally appropriate health services.
- Vaccine fatigue and increasing distrust, particularly amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The pervasive spread of misinformation, often originating from sources such as the United States, flooding social media platforms.
First Nations early childhood vaccination coverage is also declining, with less than 90 percent fully vaccinated at one and two years of age.
Government Response to the Crisis
Recognizing the severity of the situation, the federal government launched its National Immunisation Strategy last year to proactively address declining childhood vaccination rates. Federal Health Minister Mark Butler described the decline as "alarming."
The government has committed a significant $600 million investment in the National Immunisation Program, which currently supplies 31 vaccines covering 18 vaccine-preventable diseases. Minister Butler stated that the government is actively engaging immunisation experts to reinforce crucial safety messages, combat misinformation, and enhance vaccine access and affordability for all Australians.