Flu jab sick toll passes 250

27 Apr 2010, 11:22 am   -   Source: AAP/SBS
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Last week the Health Department placed a temporary ban on flu shots for children under five after reports of children getting sick after being vaccinated. (AAP)

Last week the Health Department placed a temporary ban on flu shots for children under five after reports of children getting sick after being vaccinated. (AAP)

More than 250 adverse flu jab reactions have now been reported in under-fives.

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Seasonal flu shots have caused adverse reactions in 251 children under five in Western Australia, the state's chief health officer says.

Authorities last week suspended seasonal flu vaccinations for children under five across Australia, following a high level of bad reactions among children.

In Western Australia, 55 children suffered convulsions after having the vaccination, and almost 200 others suffered fevers and vomiting, chief health officer Dr Tarun Weeramanthri said.

One child is in a serious but stable condition at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Dr Weeramanthri said all states and territories were working to determine how many children had suffered adverse effects so that the national picture was clear.

"Once that national picture is built up this week we'll know more about whether there is a problem, which areas it is in, what possible causes there are," he told the ABC on Tuesday.

He said it was likely that several batches would be linked to adverse reactions, given the scale of the immunisation program.

"We found no evidence of any single batch being the cause of these reactions," he said.

Queensland investigates child's death

Meanwhile, Queensland's health minister took early reports of a child's death, possibly from a flu vaccine, very seriously and ordered an immediate investigation, his office says.

A spokeswoman for Paul Lucas said the minister heard scant details about the case on April 9 and immediately ordered Queensland Health to look into the circumstances of the death.

Two-year-old Ashley Epapara was found dead in her cot on April 9, a day after she and her twin sister received the seasonal flu vaccine.

The Queensland Coroner is investigating the cause of her death.

The minister's spokeswoman said Mr Lucas contacted Queensland's chief health officer Jeannette Young on April 9, after sketchy details of the case surfaced.

She said Dr Young made contact with the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which had no notification of any vaccine-related death.

At that stage not even the child's name was known, the spokeswoman said. "He took it very seriously.

As soon as the minister was made aware of the issue he reported directly back to Queensland Health and asked them to start an urgent investigation," she said on Tuesday, adding the case was now a matter for the coroner.

"We need to wait for the results of the coroner's investigation. He will confirm yes or no whether it was the vaccine."

On Monday, Dr Young said Queensland Health was working closely with the coroner to determine the circumstances of the girl's death.

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Your Comments

2 questions

Michael - from Perth, 2 years ago

First, as I have lived in several different countries I wonder why we Australians vaccinate so much more than others? Who is putting this fear in us, why are we so dependant/brainwashed on what the government tells us to do or thinks is best for us? Secondly, if the vaccine would have come from a country like India or China, I bet it would have been tested thoroughly. In this case I wouldn't wonder if it had come from the US, as we never tend to ask any critical questions, as proven in history.

Liberty and Logic

Chris - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

Hey Vaccinator & Simon:
Are you guys comparing sick kids with whooping cough in hospitals to the sick or dead kids in hospital as a result of the SAFE vaccines you are referring to?
Or are you just mentioning them to expose your myopic knowledge of vaccines?
Is the mercury in the 20 or shots a child has before it is five a factor for you?
How about the sharp increase in autism?
And for the record, parents who choose not to vaccinate do not increase risk for others. They are vaccinated!! Duh.

Don't over Vaccinate!

Nick - from London, 2 years ago

OK, understand that **some** vaccines are worth the risk - and there's always a risk.
However, in terms of common sense, don't overuse vaccines as they're dangerous.
So getting an annual flu vaccine is nonsense - sure your choice if you're old, but children don't have the choice and the risk of the vaccine far outweighs the purported benefit of not getting a cold.
@Wombat - very good point and also don't forget the epidemic now of allergies - related to vaccines? Very likely.

Common sense?!

valcar - from Melbourne, 2 years ago

I think it is dangerous to write off all vaccinations as 'unsafe' because some are causing adverse reactions amongst small populations of people.
Vaccinations have and do save lives and their introduction has managed to reduce many of the formerly deadly diseases into ones caught very rarely.
I don't see anyone with Mumps from my generation?!
I think people need to think carefully and clearly and not jump to fearmongering or ignoring their priviledged access to vaccination.

I don't want to look after another person with Tetanus/Haemophilus meningitis or other vaccine preventable diseases

Vaccinator - from Newcastle, 2 years ago

I beg anyone who objects to vaccinate their child to help look after a child in hospital with whooping cough, influenza or any other vaccine preventable diseases that cause high rates of illness and deaths. They will soon change their mind after witnessing the devastating effects on the child and their family. These diseases are thankfully rare these days due to highly effective and highly safe vaccines. Please see the Aust Immunisation Guidebook 9th ed for their evidence compared to anecdotes

It's worse if you DON'T vaccinate

Simon - from Sydney, 2 years ago

Ever seen a child with whooping cough? It's a million times worse than the reaction to the whooping cough vaccine, which prevents whooping cough. So yes, there might be an adverse reaction to the vaccine, but it's nothing compared to the risk faced by children who don't get vaccinated. And every parent who fails to vaccinate their kids puts others at risk, by creating a carrier who can spread them to other children.

My thoughts

Wombat - from melbourne, 2 years ago

Every wondered why so many kids have nut allergies? Whooping cough and nut oil in vaccines - whooping cough ( pertussis ) toxin is used in the medical industry to generate anaphalaxis in animals. The nut oil reacts with the body in presense of the pertussis toxin...bingo......nut allergy. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 1999 Jul, 119(3):205-11 PMID 10436392, Infect Immun 1987 Apr.; 55(4):1004-8 Anaphylaxis in mice sensitized to an antigen with the aid of pertussigen (pertussis toxin). PMID 3557617

Common sense prevails - at last

Realist - from Sydney, 2 years ago

When are people going to realise NO VACCINE is safe ( or effective ) for that matter... I recall having a conversation once with a GP who in his own words said " I wouldnt give my kids the whooping cough vaccine because I didnt think it was safe". Now this coming from a GP without me even prompting the question......Look up any DVDs by Sherri Tenpenny - very informative. You'll never vaccinate your children again.

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