NSW: Vaccine cancellation will endanger lives Skinner

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2000
NSW: Vaccine cancellation will endanger lives Skinner

SYDNEY, Aug 3 AAP - The New South Wales Health Department has cancelled vaccine deliveries
to doctors over the five-week Olympic period in a move the state opposition claims will
jeopardise children's lives.

Opposition health spokeswoman Jillian Skinner said the ban on deliveries between August
31 and October 9 was astonishing given a warning from the government earlier this week
for parents to vaccinate their children against whooping cough.

"The government is putting the Olympics before the lives of children and that is not
acceptable," Mrs Skinner said.

The NSW Health Vaccine Centre has sent a memo to GPs advising them of the ban and asking
for advanced orders to be faxed no later than August 21.

Deliveries will then be made to cover the Olympics period but Mrs Skinner said many
doctors did not have the capacity to store the extra vaccines.

"Doctors are telling me they are concerned about the welfare of patients," she said.

"Vaccines have to be carefully stored ... and doctors are telling me they don't have
the capacity."

Health Minister Craig Knowles earlier this week issued a warning that whooping cough
was reaching epidemic levels in NSW and urged parents to vaccinate their children.

Children need to be vaccinated at two, four, six and 18 months then again at four years
of age to protect against the disease.

AAP jw/jo/bdm/bwl t

KEYWORD: OLY VACCINE

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