As the Medical Director at the Gold Coast Public Health Unit, Dr Kate Alexander plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the health of the community.
With a special interest in vaccine-preventable diseases, we sat down with the Public Health Physician to discuss the life-saving benefits of immunisation this World Immunisation Week 24-30 April.
Global immunisation over the past 50 years has enabled us to eradicate smallpox, nearly defeat polio, and ensure more children are protected against severe disease than ever before.
“Even though current immunisation rates here on the Gold Coast are good, they are not quite where they used to be,” said Dr Alexander.
“Currently, these sit at around 90 per cent. Our goal is 95 per cent and that’s what we strive for.
“Immunisation is very effective in preventing severe disease, but it doesn’t mean that you won’t experience mild illness.
"Another important point is not everyone can be immunised, for example those who are too young or have underlying medical conditions, so high population coverage helps protect these vulnerable members of our community.”
The Gold Coast Public Health Unit provides a range of immunisation services for the community including drop-in clinics providing all national and state schedule vaccines for free including childhood, school, catch-up, pregnancy, flu and older adult immunisations.
Vaccines listed on the Immunisation Schedule Queensland are funded for all eligible infants, children, adolescents and adults in Queensland.
Dr Alexander welcomes recent additions to the Queensland Immunisation Schedule, including Meningococcal B for young children and teenagers, as well as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) immunisation for newborns.
Immunisations should be maintained according to the National and Queensland Immunisation Program Schedules for the best possible protection says the the Public Health Physican.
Gold Coast residents can access free family-friendly community immunisation clinics.
