QUEENSLAND is dragging the chain when it comes to vaccination rates, with the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast hinterlands having the worst childhood vaccination rates in the state, according to the Australian Immunisation Register.
The Age reported that five local areas all in the south-eastern pocket of the state had vaccination rates below 90% for five-year-olds.
Just 86.7% of five-year-old children were fully vaccinated in the Gold Coast hinterland, and 88.8% in the Sunshine Coast hinterland.
Surfers Paradise also recorded a low 88.9% vaccination rate.
The inner Brisbane area, encompassing the CBD, New Farm and Fortitude Valley, also had one of the lowest immunisation rates for five-year-olds with just 89.6% being fully immunised.
Qld Health Communicable Diseases Branch Executive Director Heidi Carroll said anti-vaccination claims were based on poorly conducted studies that have been discredited or disproven, such as claiming jabs cause SIDS or autism.
"These claims are entirely baseless, irresponsible and dangerous, leaving children exposed unnecessarily to dangerous organisms," she said.
Carroll said it was important to dispel these myths and optimise vaccination rates.
"When 95% of the community is vaccinated against a disease, we reach herd immunity, which means we have the best chance to control transmission for most vaccine preventable diseases."
Far North Queensland had some of the highest rates of vaccination coverage in the state at around 98% in Charters Towers, Ayr and Ingham, all around Townsville.
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