Immunisation coverage is the percentage of children who have received all of the target immunisations on the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule for their age.
Why is it measured?
Immunisation coverage is measured to identify groups at risk of vaccine-preventable diseases and to evaluate the effectiveness of programmes designed to increase coverage.
Why is high coverage important?
High coverage is important to protect not only the health of an individual but to protect the community as well. High coverage reduces the spread of disease to those who have not been vaccinated either by choice or because of medical reasons, such as children with leukaemia whilst receiving treatment.
What are New Zealand’s Health System Indicators?
New Zealand has a range of health system indicators that measure how well the health and disability system serves New Zealanders.
One of the current health system indicators is that 92 percent of children should be fully immunised by 24 months of age.
Coverage data
Since 2005 coverage has been measured using data from New Zealand’s National Immunisation Register (NIR). Detailed national and DHB immunisation coverage data is available.
Before the NIR was built, immunisation coverage was measured using coverage surveys. The last survey was in 2005 – the National Childhood Immunisation Coverage Survey 2005. The results showed 77 percent of children were fully immunised at the age of two years old.