Should The Vaccine Infanrix Hexa Be Compulsory For...

Should the Vaccine Infanrix-Hexa be Compulsory for Infants in New Zealand? Infanrix-hexa is a combined vaccine that protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). The vaccine in New Zealand is suggested to be taken at the ages of 6 weeks, 3 months and 5 months as shown by the National Immunisation schedule, with booster shot required later in life. All of the first three shots are required to be taken, in order for the individual to be fully protected from the particular disease.1 The diseases that infanrix-hexa protects against is diphtheria, which affects the nose and throat, tetanus affects the muscles and nerves, pertussis also known as whooping cough affects the lungs and breathing tubes of the airway. While hepatitis b is the disease in the liver, causing cirrhosis or liver cancer. Poliovirus can either be subclinical, non-paralytic or paralytic that can attack nerves, muscles and limbs. If an infant were to be infected by this virus, they could be a â€Å"chronic carrier† (able to affect others) for life, as it affects the muscles for breathing, causing respiratory difficulty and paralysis in arms and legs. And lastly Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), which can cause skin infections to blood infections. All of which death can be an outcome to these diseases, where infants are the most easily affected, especially to those that have not been vaccinated or received their full vaccination