Vaccine Complacency is Dangerous

It's disappointing to see what's happening in the US right now.

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The resurgence of diseases like measles, once nearly wiped out thanks to routine childhood vaccinations, is more than a public health concern. It’s a wake-up call. It’s 2025, and science and medicine have armed us with the tools to prevent suffering, yet we’re watching history repeat itself – needlessly.

As World Immunisation Week rolls around, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect. Allow yourself to look past the noise, misinformation, and fear, and examine the facts and science that have saved millions of lives across generations.

Australia: A leader in public health

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We’re lucky here in Australia. Thanks to robust public health programs and a culture that has long embraced science-backed medicine, we’re global leaders in childhood routine vaccinations. Our National Immunisation Program (NIP) offers free scheduled vaccines to eligible citizens, protecting children and communities from potentially life-threatening diseases like diphtheria, whooping cough, meningococcal disease, and measles.

And the results speak for themselves. We’ve maintained high immunisation rates, with more than 94% of five-year-olds fully vaccinated as of 2024. These numbers aren’t just statistics – they’re a shield, a line of defence for our most vulnerable.

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A quick look back: what vaccines have done for us

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It wasn’t that long ago that diseases like polio were paralysing thousands of children every year. In Australia alone, polio outbreaks during the 20th century left up to 40,000 people with permanent disabilities. But thanks to mass immunisation, polio hasn’t been seen here since 2000.

And it’s not just polio. Diseases like measles, which once killed millions of children worldwide every year, were all but eliminated in countries with strong vaccination programs. Typhoid, rubella, mumps (all once part of daily life), are now rarely seen.

These amazing achievements didn’t happen by chance. They happened because of science, because of community effort, and because parents made the choice to vaccinate.

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The MMR-autism myth: still doing damage

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Unfortunately, not all decisions around vaccination are made on a rational basis. Back in 1998, a now-discredited study falsely linked the MMR vaccine to autism. The paper was retracted, the author stripped of his medical license, and countless studies since have confirmed: there is no link.

But the damage was done. That lie continues to circulate online, fuelling fear and vaccine hesitancy among parents simply trying to do the right thing. And aside from that, let’s talk about ableist this is, and how offensive this can be for parents of Autistic children – the notion that someone would rather not vaccinate (and protect) their children on the off-chance they might turn out like your kid.

Or course we get it – when it comes to your kids, you want to be sure… But here’s what we know: vaccines are safe, they are effective, and they save lives. Full stop.

COVID-19: misinformation in overdrive

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If ever there was a time when misinformation reached new heights, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. But so did global collaboration. In an extraordinary feat, scientists, governments, and pharmaceutical companies worked together around the clock, to roll out safe and effective COVID vaccines in record time – built on decades of already existing research into mRNA technology. Yet despite what should have been considered an incredible breakthrough and achievement, the scale of their achievement seemed to work against them, and only added to the skepticism around the vaccination. How is it possible that they could turn around a vaccination so quickly? The answer = unprecedented global cooperation, bottomless funding, plus the application of existing cutting edge research.

While COVID highlighted the power of modern medicine, it also exposed just how quickly fear can travel. And it reminded us how crucial it is to fight misinformation with facts.

What’s happening in the U.S.

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Fast forward to 2025, and the US is now facing a worrying uptick in measles cases – over 700 reported so far this year, with multiple child deaths. To make matters worse, a known vaccine skeptic is now heading the country’s health department, raising even more concerns about how far the tide of science denial has turned.

This isn’t just “their” problem. Public health is everyone’s business, and complacency can quickly cross borders on a plane, and right into our schools and families. 

Herd immunity: it takes all of us

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Vaccination isn’t just about personal protection – it’s about community. It’s about protecting babies too young to be vaccinated, people with cancer undergoing treatment, those with allergies or compromised immune systems. When enough of us are vaccinated, we create a safety net for those who can’t be.

That’s the power of herd immunity – and it only works when we all participate.

So, what can you do?

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Vaccinate your kids. Stick to the schedule. Ask your GP questions if you’re unsure, but know this: every major health authority, every reputable medical journal, and every qualified child health expert agrees – vaccines are not only safe, they are essential.

Australia’s National Immunisation Program offers a range of free vaccines for children, including:

• Hepatitis B
• Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (whooping cough)
• Polio
• Rotavirus
• Pneumococcal
  Meningococcal
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella
• Chickenpox
• HPV (for teens)

You can find the full schedule and details on the Department of Health’s website.

Wrapping up

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We are lucky to live in a country where vaccines are not only available – they’re free. We are lucky to have science on our side. And we are lucky to have a choice. But that choice comes with responsibility.

If we want to protect our children, our families, and our future, we must continue to vaccinate. Let’s not let privilege and comfort lull us into forgetting what’s at stake.