Skip to main content

Advanced Search

Advanced Search

Current Filters

Filter your query

Publication Types

Other

to

Newsletter Article

/

Australia Now Free from Rubella

Correspondent: Sonĵ Hall

In October 2018, the World Health Organization declared that Australia has eliminated rubella, an infectious disease that can result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or lifelong complications for babies. Australia operates a free, national vaccination program for all babies and children, at a cost of AUD 420 million (USD 300 million) a year. This investment, combined with state regulations that require school-age children to be vaccinated, has resulted in nearly 95 percent of five-year-olds having been vaccinated against Rubella and a range of other contagious diseases. This month also saw the release of SmartVax, the Australian government’s real-time surveillance program for tracking adverse reactions to all vaccinations. In 2014, Australia eliminated measles, another childhood disease.

Publication Details

Date