Wimmera mothers have refused to let coronavirus concerns affect their children's vaccination programs.
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Last week, a report from Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital found "one in five children aged less than five years had had a routine childhood vaccine delayed since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic".
Parents told the hospital's online survey, conducted in July, they were worried their children or they would catch coronavirus at the clinic administering the vaccines. Other common reasons for delaying were "I have too much else to worry about at the moment" and "The doctor/nurse where I usually get my child's vaccines was not offering vaccination due to COVID-19".
It appears this phenomenon has not manifested at a local level.
Horsham Rural City Council's Community Services Manager Mandi Stewart told the Mail-Times there had been no delays reported, and that Horsham's vaccination figures remained high.
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Horsham's Simone Aitken has taken her three-year-old son Brodie and four-month-old daughter to receive vaccinations this year, and both children have more booked this month.
She said she had never been concerned about COVID-19 while her children were at appointments, thanks in part to the processes put in place at Horsham's Kalkee Road Maternal and Child Health Centre.
"The girls are really lovely when you go in there," she said. "It's by appointment only, and you have to ring the doorbell to get in there, so there haven't been any delays. You use hand sanitizer on the way in, and my children stay in their pram until they need to be assessed.
"You can wait in your car for the period they need to wait to make sure the vaccination hasn't reacted to the child."
"Social distancing is practised as much as possible, and we haven't had any problems. It's safer to have vaccinations than to keep them at home in fear of the virus."
A new mother from Murtoa, who wished to remain anonymous, also said she had not delayed her child's vaccination program. She said Yarriambiack Shire's Maternal and Child Health Nurse Nanette Freckleton had come by the town to administer vaccinations, even outside of the scheduled days.
"I find phone appointment and missing out on the physical weigh, measure and check up the hardest," she said.
"It means you haven't got the reassurance your baby is growing or (the ability) to discuss any concerns in person. That said, Nanette has been fantastic and quickly weighed my daughter at her four-month vaccinations."
Ms Freckleton said Yariambiack had also not experienced any parents cancelling or delaying appointments.
"We are doing all the normal things to be COVID safe (during vaccination sessions)," she said. "Everyone has to wear protective goggles and gloves and sanitize their hands."
The latest data from the Australian Immunization Register shows 97.6 per cent of 12 to 15-month-olds in the Grampians region are vaccinated for influenza, polio and Diphtheria-Tetanus Pertussis.
Amongst two-year-olds, the vaccination rate is above 96 per cent, and in five-year-olds 97.3 per cent.
On Sunday, in response to the RCH report, the state government encouraged all parents to ensure their children's vaccinations were up to date.
All children must be fully vaccinated, unless they have a medical exemption, to be enrolled in childcare or kindergarten in Victoria.
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