§ Dr. Roger Thomasasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the response from health authorities and parents in increasing the take-up of infant vaccination against whooping cough.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe latest available information showed that the uptake of whooping cough vaccination for 1980 was 41 per cent. Although this is an appreciable increase on the figure of 31 per cent. for 1978, we are certainly not satisfied with this. In May 1981 the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation repeated its advice that vaccination against whooping cough should continue, and this was immediately transmitted to health authorities and doctors. On 12 January a health notice was issued encouraging health authorities to run local campaigns to improve uptake rates. It is too soon to say how successful these actions have been.