SCHOOL VAX FEAR
EXCLUSIVE: Govt slams local Steiner school over ‘unacceptably low’ immunisation rate
ALMOST half of students at a Surf Coast alternative private school are not fully immunised, prompting health concerns from the state’s deputy chief of health.
The Freshwater Creek Steiner School has revealed about 60 per cent of its students are fully immunised, well below the state average of 90-95 per cent.
Victorian deputy chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton voiced concern over the school’s low rate.
“This immunisation rate is far too low,” he said. “We urge all parents at Freshwater Creek to ensure their children are fully immunised.
“Children who are not immunised are at risk of very serious and preventable diseases.”
Dr Sutton said it was “crystal clear” immunisation saves lives.
Freshwater Creek Steiner School head of school James Wishart said the school was committed to the healthy development of its students.
“As a registered school, we take all our legal obligations seriously . . . we fully comply with the passing on of all public health information to our school community,” Mr Wishart said.
“Approximately 60 per cent of the students at FWCSS are immunised. For privacy reasons, I can’t provide any more detail on these figures.
“FWCSS is not anti-vaccination. Our sole focus is on education . . . it is not part of our practice to ask parents to provide reasons for their immunisation choices.”
Mr Wishart said he believed parents were attracted to a “holistic approach” to supporting student wellbeing at Steiner schools.
A spokesman for Education Minister James Merlino said a vaccination rate of 60 per cent was “unacceptably low”.
“Immunisation is vital when it comes to protecting the health and wellbeing of our children, young people and community,” spokesman John Ronan said.
“Cases like this are precisely why we have policies in place to boost vaccination rates across the state.”
The school last year had 113 enrolments, according to the national Myschool website.
Victorian law requires all primary schools to collect an Immunisation Status Certificate outlining whether the stu- dents have been vaccinated or not.
There is no requirement for primary school students to be completely immunised.
Victorian No Jab, No Play laws will soon require all Victorian children to be fully immunised for their age to be enrolled in childcare and kindergarten, unless they have a medical reason not to be.
The Freshwater Creek Steiner School’s low vaccination rate has been revealed in the same week the Federal Government launched a $5.5 million campaign to battle areas with low rates.
The Get the Facts About Immunisation campaign will encourage parents and carers to get their kids vaccinated.
The campaign comes as the Western Victoria Primary Health Network region, which includes Geelong and surrounds, has immunisation rates above the state average.
The latest Australian Immunisation Register statistics show the WVPHN had the highest immunisation rate for two-year-olds and second highest for both one and fiveyear olds, compared to the state’s five other PHNs.
Fully vaccinated five-yearolds are protected against polio, meningococcal C, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, chickenpox, whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, haemophilus influenzae type B and pneumococcal conjugate.