A recording of the 30th August CVU mini is now available

Thank you to all who attended our recent CVU miniseries event COVID-19: infection and vaccines in children aged 6 months and over on Tuesday 30th August 2022. 

This interactive webinar provided an update on: 

  • COVID-19 infection in children over 6 months: The Melbourne experience 
  • COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for Australian children over 6 months 
  • The safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in children 

A recording of this event is now available via our education portal.

To access this recording please follow the link below: 

CVU mini – 30th August 2022 


Registrations now open for the August CVU mini event

MVEC’s next Clinical Vaccinology Update (CVU) mini event on COVID-19: infection and vaccines in children aged 6 months and over will take place virtually on Tuesday 30th August. This CVU mini will provide an update on: 

  • COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for Australian children over 6 months 
  • The safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in children
  • COVID-19 vaccine rollout logistics

The event program and link to register will be available shortly via our Events page or via the link below. 

CVU mini: August 2022 

 


Updated MVEC immunisation reference page: COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescent page

MVEC’s COVID-19 vaccination in children and the adolescent reference page has been updated to include the current recommendations for children under 5 years of age. This resource details:  

  • Recommended COVID-19 vaccine schedule information for children and adolescents aged ≥ 6 months 
  • Information on the efficacy and side effects of COVID-19 vaccination in the paediatric population 
  • Links to current ATAGI COVID-19 vaccine recommendations in the various paediatric and adolescent age groups  

To view the page in full, follow the link below: 

MVEC: COVID-19 vaccination in children and adolescents 


ATAGI recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine use in children under 5 years

ATAGI have now recommended COVID-19 vaccination for some children aged 6 months – 5 years. Eligible groups include those with severe immunocompromise, a disability with severe or complex health needs, or those with multiple/complex health conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 disease.  

A paediatric formula of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine has been approved by the TGA in this age group for children in the groups mentioned above. A primary two-dose schedule, 8 weeks apart is recommended, with the dose being 25mcg. Children in this age group with severe immunocompromise are recommended to complete a 3-dose primary schedule.  

ATAGI does not currently recommend COVID vaccination for children aged 6 months - 5 years who are not in the categories previously mentioned, based on a range of factors.  

Recommendations may change as alternative brands or variant COVID-19 vaccines become available in this age group, or if there are epidemiological changes such as new variants of concern that emerge.  

To read the recommendations in full please follow the link below.  

ATAGI recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine use in children aged 6 months to <5 years


Safety of COVID-19 vaccines in >200,000 Aussie kids: reassuring data from AusVaxSafety

New AusVaxSafety research which analysed 392,268 survey responses via AusVaxSafety’s national active safety surveillance system between July 2021 and May 2022, has found that Australian children aged 5-15 years report fewer side effects in the days following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination than those reported in clinical trials and published safety data.

Importantly, fever was reported low in the youngest age group, comparable to that seen following annual influenza vaccination. Additionally, there were also no self-reported cases of myocarditis and pericarditis identified in the study.

AusVaxSafety will commence surveillance in children aged 6 months to 5 years once COVID-19 vaccines become available in this age group.

To access the research in full, click on the link below. 

Safety of COVID-19 vaccines in >200,000 Aussie kids: reassuring data from
AusVaxSafety 
 


Flinders University Alumni publication featuring A/Prof Nigel Crawford: Providing the vital boost for us to fight COVID-19

MVEC’s Associate Professor Nigel Crawford was featured in the Flinders University College of Medicine and Public Health Alumni magazine regarding his significant contribution to Australia’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout. As the current chair of the Australian Technical Advisory Group for Immunisation (ATAGI), Nigel discusses his role in steering Australia’s uptake of COVID-19 vaccines, including effective communication and the ability to remain flexible when responding to and adapting vaccine advice for the general public. 

To read the full article, follow the link below.

Flinders University Alumni publication featuring A/Prof Nigel Crawford: Providing the vital boost for us to fight COVID-19 


Registrations opening soon for our next CVU mini August event

MVEC’s next Clinical Vaccinology Update (CVU) mini event on COVID-19: infection and vaccines in children aged 6 months and over will take place virtually in August, with the date to be announced shortly.  This CVU mini will provide an update on: 

  • COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for Australian children over 6 months 
  • The safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in children 

The event program and link to register will be available shortly via our Events page or via the link below. 

CVU mini: August 2022 

 


The Conversation: COVID vaccines for children under 5 are almost here. Here’s what parents need to know

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved a paediatric dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children aged from six months.  

MVEC’s Dr Daryl Cheng, along with A/Prof Margie Danchin, explore what parents need to know ahead of Australia’s rollout of the Moderna vaccine in this cohort, including the safety and efficacy of the vaccine and the benefits and implications of vaccinating this age group in this article.  

To read the article in full, please click on the link below:
The Conversation: COVID vaccines for children under 5 are almost here. Here’s what parents need to know 


VicSIS update- services have changed

From July 2022 there has been a change to the services delivered by VicSIS (the Victorian Specialist Immunisation Services network). The number of VicSIS clinics and their locations have been reduced with adult services now only offered at Barwon Health, Austin Health, Monash Health and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Due to these changes there may be longer wait times for appointments and patients should be advised of this. 

In addition, VicSIS is no longer funded to support paediatric COVID-19 vaccination. Children aged 15 years and under requiring specialist advice can instead be reviewed via the existing specialist immunisation clinics at The Royal Children’s Hospital and Monash Health. Referrals for these services should continue to be submitted via the VicSIS eReferral portal. 

For further information on VicSIS, refer to the link below: 

MVEC: VicSIS 


ATAGI updated recommendations for a winter dose of COVID-19 vaccine

ATAGI have expanded the groups recommended to receive a COVID-19 winter booster dose to now include:  

  • Any adult (including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) aged 50 years and older   
  • Aged care or disability care residents aged 16 years and older   
  • Individuals aged 16 years and older with severe immunocompromise, disability or complex health need, or those with multiple comorbidities which may increase the likelihood of poorer outcomes.  

In addition, any adult aged 30- 49 years who wishes to reduce the likelihood of COVID-19 infection may also receive a winter booster dose. The interval recommended between a previous COVID-19 infection or previous booster dose and administration of a winter booster dose is 3 months. 

ATAGI has noted with concern that booster dose coverage (first dose and winter dose) has been suboptimal for eligible populations and highlights the importance of vaccination in preventing severe infection and hospitalisation.  

To read the updated recommendations in full, please click on the link below:

ATAGI updated recommendations for a winter dose of COVID-19 vaccine