Eligibility to receive a free Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine has been temporarily expanded until 30 June 2026 to include people who plan to visit high-risk local government areas in Victoria for outdoor recreation.

Spread to humans through mosquito bites, JE is a leading cause of vaccine-preventable encephalitis (brain inflammation) in Asia and the Western Pacific.

Read the Department’s full health advisory on expanded access at Expanded access to the Japanese encephalitis vaccine for people visiting high-risk areas.

To learn more about JE disease and prevention, visit MVEC: Japanese encephalitis.

MVEC acknowledges the traditional owners of the lands on which we live, work and educate. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas.

About MVEC

The Melbourne Vaccine Education Centre (MVEC) is an educational website, developed with the aim of providing up-to-date immunisation information for both healthcare professionals and members of the public. We are based at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), a research organisation, and are affiliated with SAEFVIC (Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Vaccination in the Community), the Victorian Vaccine Safety Service.

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