Research shows that children in public care are under immunised [ 7] and providing information on immunisation status to social workers has not improved immunisation coverage [ 8].
But according to the WHO's strategic advisory group of experts (Sage) committee on immunisation, there is now enough evidence to rule that two shots will do the job.
The decision to give people one-fifth of the normal dose of vaccine – known as fractional dosing – was taken by WHO's strategic advisory group of experts on immunisation (Sage).
In 2013, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), the independent scientific committee that advises the government on immunisation, considered the available evidence and concluded that the vaccine was safe and was likely to protect against the disease.
In July, a Ghanaian doctor was shot in Karachi, a day after leaders of factions of the Pakistani Taliban backed a ban on immunisation in the country's restive tribal areas.
Pakistan's drive against polio has been thrown into chaos after a foreign doctor was shot in the southern port city of Karachi, a day after the Taliban reiterated a ban on immunisation in the country's tribal areas.
Last week, two advisory bodies to the World Health Organisation, the strategic advisory group of experts on immunisation and the malaria policy advisory committee, recommended against its immediate widespread use, and many people may have been left wondering why.
However, he considered his greatest achievement to be establishing the base and impetus for the WHO's expanded programme on immunisation, the goal of which is to provide universal access to all relevant vaccines for all at risk.
I am a member of the Indian government's National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation, and I know of no politician in the opposition that is leading any lobbying group against vaccines.
Many believe the use of social media has added new impetus to anti-vaccine campaigners' protests, and that this factor has been closely involved in the success of the attacks that have been made on immunisation programmes.
So it is too late for a change of policy on immunisation this winter.
