LEGISLATION FOR SCHOOL ENTRY IMMUNIZATION CERTIFICATES IN VICTORIA

In 1982 the National Health and Medical Research Council recommended t hat every state introduce legislation requiring immunisation certifica tes at school entry. Victoria was the first state to enact such legisl ation. This paper explores the process and difficulties encountered in achieving this legal requirement, describes the requirements under th e legislation as it was finally introduced, and examines the early dat a available to the state health department regarding its implementatio n. Compliance with the legislation and immunisation status of children enrolling in government primary schools were ascertained from mid-yea r census data. In 1992 almost 90 per cent of children compiled with th e legislation, but because 10.2 per cent of children did not present a certificate it was possible to estimate only the lower limit of state wide coverage at 85 per cent against the prescribed diseases. School e ntry immunisation legislation may provide an important safety net to i dentify children with incomplete immunisation. However, the effectiven ess of the legislation in Victoria remains unproven, and the requireme nts of the legislation are demanding for parents, local councils, and schools. The failure to document immunisation status in over 10 per ce nt of children indicates that further efforts to increase compliance a re needed. This will require information on the vaccination status of those without certificates and the reasons they have not complied. The impact of the legislation needs further evaluation, although it may b e years before its effectiveness can be gauged. Its effectiveness may depend upon enforcement of the requirement to exclude unimmunised chil dren in disease outbreaks.