Year 7 and 10 secondary school students in Maroondah should soon be receiving an immunisation information and consent form pack to take home as part of free vaccinations provided at schools through the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
The forms that students will bring home provide information on the scheduled vaccinations, with a consent card to be completed by the student's parent or guardian and returned to the school.
Councillor Tasa Damante, one of Council's representatives on the Maroondah Community Health and Wellbeing Committee, said it was important for parents to read the information carefully, sign and return the consent card regardless of whether their child is being vaccinated at school or elsewhere.
"Immunisation remains a core health service during the COVID-19 pandemic with routine schedule vaccinations for secondary school students continuing to be provided under the guidance of the Department of Health and Human Services," Cr Damante said.
"Schools will distribute a consent form pack to all eligible students about the next round of immunisations that Council will be providing at all Maroondah secondary schools during March and April. If your child has already received their immunisation elsewhere, or if you simply choose not to use Council's immunisation service, it is still important to complete the form and return them to the school," she said.
Year 7 students are offered vaccines to protect them against human papillomavirus (HPV) and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough), which are provided in a combined vaccine known as Boostrix®.
It is recommended that both males and females in Year 7 receive the HPV vaccine Gardasil®9. This vaccine protects against seven types of human papillomavirus that cause over 90 per cent of cervical cancer in women and over 90 per cent of HPV-related cancers in men.
Year 10 students are offered a vaccine to protect them from meningococcal ACWY.
The Meningococcal vaccine is a four-in-one combined vaccine for protection against meningococcal A, C, W and Y strains. Studies have shown that the effectiveness of the meningococcal ACWY vaccine is between 80 to 85 per cent in adolescents.
Local councils are required under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 to provide immunisation services to children living or being educated within their municipality.
Vaccines are administered by immunisation nurses, employed by Maroondah City Council's immunisation service, who visit local schools a number of times a year.
Council's Immunisation Service is fully accredited in compliance with AS/NZS ISO 9001 Quality Standards.
