The Press THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1962. Poliomyelitis Dosing

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29938, 27 September 1962, Page 12

The Press THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1962. Poliomyelitis Dosing

The Christchurch response to the Health Department’s poliomyelitis immunisation campaign has been surprising and disappointing. With the establishment of many convenient clinics in city and suburbs to supply doses of oral vaccine, Christchurch people have had no apparent reason to fall behind other New Zealanders in discharging a civil responsibility. Yet fewer than 60 per cent, of the target number have so far taken their doses, compared with about 80 per cent, for New Zealand as a whole. Perhaps they have been frightened away by the use of the technical term “ vaccination ”, which to many persons may mean a scratch on the arm with unpleasant and often painful after-effects. Oral vaccination does not mean that at all; and possibly sufficient emphasis has not been placed on its much pleasanter administration and the absence of aftereffects. The oral vaccine is taken in tiny tasteless doses from individual, sterilised paper cups. So simple and easy is the procedure that one clinic with two attend-

ants can give doses at the rate of 600 an hour. More probably the reason is apathy among adults, some of whom may take a fatalistic view of the possibility that they might contract poliomyelitis. These persons overlook the more important aspect of the immunisation campaign. If all New Zealanders were immunised now, poliomyelitis could be virtually eliminated from this country; and unborn children would be saved from the ravages of a disease that will assuredly attack a proportion of them if the campaign is not more successful. To take a small dose of oral vaccine is not a selfish precaution but a duty. In the last two days of the campaign Christchurch people have ample opportunity to improve the city’s poor showing and to save the Health Department from an extensive follow-up to treat an over-large proportion of stragglers. In New Zealand generally the campaign has gone very well, with the Chatham Islands establishing an outstanding record of almost 100 per cent. It would be a pity to spoil the whole effect by a lack of public spirit in Christchurch.