It\u2019s World Immunisation Week from 24 to 30 April and parents are encouraged to not only ensure that their children\u2019s vaccinations are up to date, but also their own.<\/P>
\u2018Immunisation is a simple and effective way of protecting children, and adults, from a number of serious diseases. It not only helps protect individuals, but this protection extends to the broader family and community by minimising the spread of disease,\u2019 said the City\u2019s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia van der Ross.<\/P>
Immunisation is the process of inducing immunity against an infective organism\/agent in an individual.<\/P>
<\/P>
\u2018Vaccines work by triggering the immune system to fight against a disease. Should a vaccinated person come into contact with the disease they\u2019re immunised against, their immune system is able to respond more effectively, preventing the disease from developing or greatly reducing its severity,\u2019 explained Councillor van der Ross.<\/P>
<\/P>
The theme for World Immunisation Week from the World Health Organisation is: Long Life for All. In pursuit of a long life well lived.<\/P>
<\/P>
In the past year, much emphasis has been placed on Covid-19 vaccines. This continues to be a priority for the health sector, especially in light of the over 4 000 new cases diagnosed in one day on Wednesday, 21 April. Persons over 60 years and those with comorbidities are encouraged to get vaccinated and return for their boosters as these will prevent severe disease that may result in hospital admissions. <\/P>
<\/P>
However, with winter fast approaching, City Health also encourages immune-compromised individuals to ensure they receive a flu vaccine. City clinics have received a limited amount of stock, with older persons and those more at risk of severe illness receiving priority.<\/P>
<\/P>
Then there is also the children\u2019s Immunisation schedule, which is tracked using the \u2018Road to Health\u2019 booklet.<\/P>
<\/P>
In South Africa, children should be vaccinated at birth, 6 weeks, 10 weeks, 14 weeks, 9 months, 18 months, 6 years and at 12 years old <\/P>
<\/P>
All these vaccines are available free of charge at City clinics.<\/P>
<\/P>
Below is a breakdown of children under the age of 12 months who were fully immunised over the past three financial years:<\/P>
\t2019\/2020\t2020\/2021\t2021\/2022<\/P>
Cape Town Eastern Health sub-District\t3 822\t3 855\t4 459<\/P>
Cape Town Northern Health sub-District\t3 659\t3 809\t4 034<\/P>
Cape Town Southern Health sub-District\t4 979\t5 395\t5 224<\/P>
Cape Town Western Health sub-District\t4 044\t3 874\t4 040<\/P>
Khayelitsha Health sub-District\t3 752\t3 433\t3 611<\/P>
Klipfontein Health sub-District\t4 780\t4 134\t4 557<\/P>
Mitchells Plain Health sub-District\t7 416\t7 479\t7 095<\/P>
Tygerberg Health sub-District\t5 421\t4 549\t4 898<\/P>
CCT Total\t3 7873\t3 6528\t3 7918<\/P>
<\/P>
\u2018The table shows consistency in the number of children who have been fully immunised by the time they are a year old. It is heartening to note that parents have adhered to the immunisation schedule, despite disruptions caused by the pandemic,\u2019 said Councillor van der Ross.<\/P>
<\/P>
To mark the week, all clinics will have daily talks on the topic and Area Central will host an event on Friday, 29 April 2022 at Ikhwezi hall in Gugulethu. <\/P>
<\/P>
<\/P>
Source: City Of Cape Town<\/P>
<\/P><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
It\u2019s World Immunisation Week from 24 to 30 April and parents are encouraged to not only ensure that their children\u2019s vaccinations are up to date, but also their own.\u2018Immunisation is a simple and effective way of protecting children, and adults, from a …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n