26.07.12
Vaccinate the healthy, save the sick
The national immunisation programme for all children will prove a significant challenge to implement, with questions around how enough capacity can be produced, who will administer the vaccine and how to bring parents on board.
Nine million children, to be vaccinated within an eight week period.
And many parents will raise concerns over anything affecting their healthy children, let alone a live vaccine. But immunisation of this age group could dramatically increase protection for more at-risk groups by limiting the transmission of the virus.
The JCVI has judged that these benefits are worth the practical difficulties, and the significant cost of the programme. Careful planning and clear organisation will be needed, as will a persuasive communication strategy to get enough parents on board.
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