A new opinion piece, published in MJA Insight and written by UNSW Vaccine and Infection Research Lab (VIRL) researchers, has today called for stronger public health messages regarding pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination.
The bacterial infection is often underestimated, however it’s responsible for more than 15,000 GP visits, 8,000 hospitalisations, and 2,000 deaths among those aged over 65 each year. Despite the alarming statistics, vaccination rates are still too low.
Article co-author and infectious diseases researcher, Dr Rob Menzies, UNSW VIRL, stressed the dire state of pneumococcal pneumonia vaccination rates must be reversed.
“We’re achieving a 93 per cent pneumococcal vaccination rate among Australian children. Yet we’re failing to achieve even a 50 per cent pneumococcal vaccination rate among equally vulnerable seniors, despite the publicly-funded immunisation program – a simple preventative health measure that could prevent serious disease or premature death.
“The most recent data suggest pneumococcal vaccination coverage has actually declined to 47 per cent in NSW, with more than half of these vaccinations occurring after 70 years of age,” said Dr Menzies.
According to Dr Menzies, a healthcare professional’s recommendation is the most influential factor in determining whether a person chooses to vaccinate.
So how do you know if you’re entitled to a free pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine?
The National Immunisation Program (NIP) covers:
- Healthy adults over the age 65 (in non-Indigenous individuals, Indigenous Australians can access the vaccine from age 50)
- Those who are immunocompromised from medical conditions such as diabetes, chronic lung disease, and chronic cardiac disease
Know your risk of pneumonia
The article falls within Lung Foundation Australia’s Pneumonia Awareness Week, a week designed to bring about heightened awareness of the seriousness of pneumonia, and the tools to prevent it, primarily being vaccination.
So don’t forget to check up on which vaccines you’re entitled to. By vaccinating, you’ll not only be protecting yourself, but the community too!