Boosting Australia’s adult vaccination rate to match childhood levels could generate significant economic and health benefits, according to a new report by consultancy Evaluate.
The report shows that raising adult immunisation rates to 95per cent, up from the current 51 per cent, could deliver a net benefit of 1.1 billion dollars, following a 320-million-dollar government investment.
As part of the report, the impacts of increasing immunisation rates for diseases like shingles, influenza, and whooping cough were analysed.
Experts noted that preventable diseases kept adults out of work, and increasing immunisation could prevent early retirement, and observed that better vaccine access would particularly benefit disadvantaged communities.
The report also noted that achieving higher adult vaccination rates could improve both public health and workforce participation, especially among Australia’s ageing population.