Support for general practitioners in continuing to play the lead role in vaccinating the community must be at the heart of Australia’s next National Immunisation Strategy, particularly to combat vaccine fatigue and misinformation that is spreading on social media.
The global resurgence of diseases such as measles and the rapid rise of respiratory illnesses in Australia this winter have highlighted the critical importance of vaccine vigilance.
, the AMA has highlighted the critical role GPs have played in the achievement of world leading rates of vaccination in Australia and calls for this to be strengthened even further.
AMA President Professor Steve Robson said the situation around the world was concerning, as a drop in childhood vaccinations is driving a and other infectious diseases.
“Australia’s world-leading has led to an exceptionally high rate of childhood immunisation, but there are many challenges to overcome on the path to the national coverage target of 95 per cent,” Professor Robson said.
“We are unfortunately still seeing misinformation about vaccines spreading like wildfire on social media, while a mixture of vaccine hesitancy and fatigue set in following the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Data shows immunisation rates are falling among Australia’s most vulnerable cohorts, including the elderly and children, amid a significant rise of respiratory illnesses, including Covid-19, influenza, RSV and whooping cough this winter.
“GPs have proven to be the best at ensuring Australians receive their vaccinations in a safe and timely manner, as shown by the impressive growth in vaccination rates over the past 25 years,” Professor Robson said.
“This is because GPs spend time with patients to answer questions and discuss any concerns a patient might have, helping to counter the rise of dangerous misinformation.”
In 2020, Australia achieved a record-high rate of 95.09 per cent of five-year-olds fully immunised against infectious diseases, but this has fallen to 93.93 per cent.
The AMA’s submission makes it clear childhood immunisation must remain in general practice.
“GPs are best equipped to provide medically supervised and best-practice vaccination services,” Professor Robson said.
“It is the safest environment for childhood vaccinations, which are considered an important milestone in establishing a relationship with a usual GP, which leads to better long-term health outcomes.”
