<p><strong>This year’s Medical Mums campaign is urging parents and carers to check in with their GP to ensure childhood vaccinations are up-to-date.</strong></p>
<p>In 2021, as the world focuses on critically important new vaccines to protect against COVID-19, there remains a need to ensure routine childhood vaccinations are not missed so all kids have the best protection from disease. </p>
<p>Globally, many children <a href="https://data.unicef.org/resources/immunization-coverage-estimates-data-visualization/">have not been vaccinated during the pandemic</a>, leaving them at risk of serious diseases like measles and polio. Rapidly circulating misinformation around the topic of vaccination adds to this threat. </p>
<p>Within the North Brisbane and Moreton Bay region, childhood immunisation rates remain high and the Medical Mums campaign aims to keep it this way, with the message not to neglect immunisation requirements.</p>
<p>Vaccinations are due at 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 months and 4 years old and skipping or delaying any of these means that children are vulnerable to disease. However, if a child hasn’t been vaccinated or has missed a vaccination it’s easy to catch up—just speak to a GP, who can also answer any questions or address any hesitancy that parents might have. </p>
<p>The Medical Mums campaign, which runs until 23 May, was launched to coincide with World Immunisation Week, celebrated every year in the last week of April.</p>
<p>Using the theme ‘Vaccines bring us closer’, World Immunisation Week 2021 urges greater engagement around immunisation globally to promote the importance of vaccination in bringing people together, and improving the health and wellbeing of everyone.</p>
<p>The Medical Mums campaign is currently rolling out a series of short animations across digital platforms, featuring some cute parents, their kids and their family doctor. <br /></p>

<p>For more information, to download a poster to display in your practice, or to view the animations visit <a href="http://www.medicalmums.com.au">www.medicalmums.com.au</a>. </p>