A newly state-funded vaccine that becomes available for babies today is expected to avoid up to 1200 children's hospital admissions each year and prevent tens of thousands more cases of illness.

The RotaTeq vaccine, given as three doses of oral drops, protects against the intestinal illness rotavirus.

Almost all young children catch the virus. Symptoms range from none at all to serious vomiting and diarrhoea leading to hospital admission to treat dehydration.

The bug is the most common cause of diarrhoea and dehydration in infants and young children and the symptoms can last three to eight days. By the age of 3 years, 90 per cent of New Zealand children will have contracted rotavirus.

The virus spreads easily from person to person, especially on contaminated surfaces.

"During outbreaks in early childhood settings, rotavirus has been isolated from telephone receivers, drinking fountains, water-play tables and toilet handles," the Ministry of Health's Immunisation Handbook says.

The Government from today pays for young children to have three doses of the oral vaccine, at 6 weeks of age, 3 months and 5 months.

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