Alarming new figures show Australia’s childhood vaccination rates continue to fall, with experts calling for urgent action to catch up those kids who are missing out.

Out-of-pocket costs, limited appointments, lack of opportunity to discuss vaccination with providers, and eroding trust are factors stopping some parents and caregivers from keeping to the recommended vaccination schedule.

The results in the paper, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, were “extremely concerning”, lead researcher Dr Kasia Bolsewicz said.

“Childhood vaccination rates have declined each year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

“The latest analysis from NCIRS confirms that coverage has remained below the national target of 95 per cent across all three standard age milestones. Prioritising catch-up vaccinations for children who are overdue for their recommended doses is essential to protect them from potentially life-threatening, vaccine-preventable diseases.”

The project team identified multiple strategies to improve childhood vaccination coverage.

These included increasing bulk billing for vaccinations and extending hours and settings for appointments, working with trusted community advocates to share vaccination messaging, and funding healthcare providers to allow dedicated time to discuss vaccines with parents.

Researchers arrived at these strategies through consultation with health professionals, community members, and policy-makers.

Public Health Association of Australia chief executive, Adjunct Professor Terry Slevin, said reversing the decline in childhood vaccination coverage was a public health priority.

“The power and reach of social media, the challenges raised by COVID-19 and misinformation around immunisation coming out of the USA mean it has never been more important to boost access to and confidence in vaccines,” Slevin said.

“We expect that boosting vaccine uptake will be a priority for the Australian Centre for Disease Control when it is permanently established next year.

“It’s estimated that over 150 million lives worldwide have been saved by vaccination – but young Australian lives will be at stake if childhood immunisation rates continue to fall.”