Selective rubella vaccination programmes: a survey of districts in England and Wales

A survey of district immunisation coordinators in the 183 health districts of England and Wales was carried out to assess the implementation of selective rubella vaccination programmes. The survey showed that school health services vaccinate schoolgirls against rubella in 161 (93%) of the 173 districts whose immunisation coordinators responded. The accuracy of data on vaccination coverage of schoolgirls is limited because districts interpret the numerator and denominator required by the Department of Health in different ways. Districts have also experienced problems in monitoring the uptake of vaccination through general practitioners. Comprehensive antenatal screening programmes for rubella immunity operate in 164 districts (95%), but few districts are auditing the postpartum vaccination of seronegative women. If child health computer records were maintained and updated until children left school, it would be possible to produce reliable data on the percentage of girls who had been vaccinated against rubella by the age of 14.