Updated monovalent mRNA COVID-19 vaccines approved by FDA
On 11 September, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved COVID-19 vaccines updated to include a monovalent component that targets currently circulating variants.
Bivalent Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorised for use in the US.
In Australia, bivalent COVID-19 vaccines (those which target the original/ancestral strain of the virus as well as an Omicron subvariant) continue to be recommended for primary vaccination and boosters in people aged 12 years and older.
Read more in the FDA’s press release: FDA: Updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines
Current ATAGI advice on bivalent COVID-19 vaccines:
ATAGI: Recommendations on use of the Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (February 2023)
ATAGI: Recommendations on use of the Moderna bivalent COVID-19 vaccine (February 2023)
ATAGI: Advice on the preferential use of bivalent COVID-19 vaccines for primary vaccination of people aged 12 years or older (May 2023)
The Lancet: Surge of invasive group A strep in Australia
The Lancet recently published a study, analysing data from the Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance (PAEDS) Networks, which shows Australia experienced an intense and unseasonal surge of invasive group A streptococcal disease in 2022.
The national research project involved researchers from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, including MVEC Director Prof Nigel Crawford.
Read the study in full: Increase in invasive group A streptococcal disease among Australian children coinciding with northern hemisphere surges
NCIRS: New Vaxelis and Infanrix hexa resource
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) has published a new resource to answer common questions about the Vaxelis and Infanrix hexa vaccines.
Vaxelis and Infanrix hexa are hexavalent (six-in-one) vaccines that protect against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, poliomyelitis and haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib).
NCIRS: Vaxelis and Infanrix hexa resource
CVU: Tickets now on sale
Tickets are now available for the 2023 Clinical Vaccinology Update (CVU). This year’s CVU will be held on 30 October at the University of Melbourne.
Earlybird tickets are on sale until 15 September.
MVEC is offering Victorian regional immunisation providers the chance to win free CVU registration! This promotion closes on 11 September.
ATAGI: Update on the COVID-19 vaccination program
On 1 September 2023, ATAGI updated its recommendations for additional COVID-19 vaccines doses. An additional 2023 dose is recommended for everyone aged 75 and over (if 6 months have passed since their last dose).
Everyone aged 65 to 75 and people aged 18 to 64 with severe immunocompromise should consider an additional 2023 dose (if 6 months have passed since their last dose).
In February 2023, ATAGI recommended COVID-19 boosters for everyone aged over 65 and for people aged 18 to 64 with severe immunocompromise (if 6 months have passed since their last dose). People who were recommended to receive a booster in February and who have not yet had one should receive an additional dose as soon as possible.
ATAGI: Update on the COVID-19 vaccination program
Victorian Department of Health: Changes to Victorian vaccine cold chain management protocols
The Victorian Department of Health has recently updated vaccine cold chain management protocols, effectively immediately.
Key points
- Immunisation providers must report all cold chain breaches for government funded vaccines that have been exposed to temperatures outside the recommended +2 °C to +8 °C cold chain range. (This excludes fluctuations up to +12 °C for no more than 15 minutes during restocking, cleaning or stocktaking.)
- All government vaccine account holders must nominate a vaccine coordinator and backup person to complete the department’s Clinical/Vaccine Coordinator Cold Chain Management eLearning module.
It is important to immediately discard the old Victorian Department of Health cold chain breach refrigerator magnet.
The department encourages all staff involved in vaccine storage and cold chain management to complete the Cold chain management eLearning module.
Victorian Department of Health: Cold chain management
New-look newsletter!
You might have noticed the MVEC newsletter has a new format.
We would love to hear your feedback, and please let us know if you have any technical issues. Get in touch with us via the blue ‘Immunisation Support’ button in the top right corner of the screen on our website or follow this link.
NCIRS: Webinar – Vaccination for people with disability
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) is hosting a webinar on vaccination for people with disability, to be held on Friday 22 September 2023 at noon.
Leading researchers and clinicians will present on:
- vaccine coverage and vaccination service gaps for people with disability
- ways to support vaccination of patients with complex needs, including patients with intellectual and development disabilities and those with needle fear
- new NCIRS resources to support healthcare providers in vaccination.
Updated immunisation reference page: Yellow fever
We have recently updated our Yellow fever reference page.
Yellow fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic disease which can be transmitted to humans via the bites of mosquitos infected with yellow fever virus (YFV). Vaccination against yellow fever is a requirement to travel to and from certain countries.
The updated reference page includes information on yellow fever epidemiology, transmission and prevention.
Immunisation Coalition: Recording of Allan Cripps memorial webinar
The Immunisation Coalition has uploaded a recording of the recent Allan Cripps memorial webinar on invasive pneumococcal disease, held on 10 August 2023.
The event aimed to highlight Professor Cripps’s key achievements and to shed light on advancements in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pneumococcal disease.
The panel featured MVEC Director Nigel Crawford along with Dr Sarah Chu, Professor Robert Clancy, Professor Katie Flanagan and Dr Sanjay Jayasinghe.