Australian Immunisation Handbook: Vaccination for special risk groups updated
The Australian Immunisation Handbook guidance about the vaccination of special risk groups was recently updated.
As of 2 May 2025, a significantly updated chapter on immunocompromise provides clear definitions and categorises the level of immunocompromise across various types of conditions. Subsections in this chapter include:
- Introduction and general principles
- Inborn errors of immunity (IEI), including primary immunodeficiency
- Secondary (acquired) immunodeficiency due to medical conditions
- Secondary (acquired) immunodeficiency due to medical therapies
- People with asplenia and hyposplenia
- Infants exposed to immunosuppressive therapy in utero or through breastmilk
- Close contacts of people who are immunocompromised
- Travellers who are immunocompromised.
The Vaccination for women who are planning pregnancy, pregnant or breastfeeding and Vaccination for international travellers chapters were also updated.
MVEC: Immunosuppression and vaccines
MVEC: Immunosuppression in pregnancy and infant vaccine recommendations
MVEC: Maternal vaccination
AAP FactCheck debunks more circulating vaccine misinformation
AAP FactCheck has recently assessed online claims regarding the COVID-19 and MMR vaccines.
According to the FactCheck team, a Facebook post claiming that myocarditis from COVID-19 vaccines will lead to millions of deaths is based on a misrepresentation of the Cleaveland Clinic’s information published about viral myocarditis.
Read AAP FactCheck’s full article for a detailed breakdown of why the claim is false.
Go to MVEC: COVID-19 for information about COVID-19 disease, epidemiology and vaccination.
AAP FactCheck has also deemed that claims a baby in the US developed measles from the MMR vaccine are misleading. Health authorities say there is no evidence that the vaccine caused measles in this case.
AAP FactCheck: Misinformation spreads amid measles outbreak
MVEC: Measles
Infectious IDeas: A Lifelong Champion of Vaccine Safety—Kathryn M. Edwards, MD (podcast)
Dr Kathryn Edwards is a renowned expert in childhood respiratory diseases, and vaccine safety and efficacy in the United States.
In this podcast episode, Dr Edwards shares her journey to becoming a trailblazer in paediatric infectious disease prevention. Dr Edwards discusses the importance of vaccine safety and adverse event monitoring.
Infectious IDeas: A Lifelong Champion of Vaccine Safety—Kathryn M. Edwards, MD (podcast)
Save the date: CVU mini on immunisation and special risk groups
MVEC is excited to announce our upcoming webinar on immunisation and special risk groups, the latest in our CVU mini series.
Save the date – registrations opening soon!
Date: Wednesday 4 June 2025
Location: online
Registration fee: free event
Our CVU mini event page will be updated with more details.
TGA: Arexvy approved for use in adults aged 50 to 59 with RSV risk
The Therapeutics Goods Administration (TGA) has extended the approval of the RSV vaccine Arexvy to include adults aged 50 to 59 years who are at increased risk for RSV disease.
Arexvy is also approved for use in all adults aged 60 years and older.
For more information on RSV disease and vaccination, see MVEC’s updated RSV immunisation reference.