Immunisation Coalition: HPV Update webinar recording
The Immunisation Coalition HPV Update webinar was held on 13 March 2024, presented by Angela Newbound and moderated by Andrew Minton.
A recording of the webinar is now available on the Immunisation Coalition event page.
The Vaccine Coverage: MVEC’s new podcast is out!
MVEC has released the first two episodes of our new podcast, ‘The Vaccine Coverage’.
This series features conversations with special guests on a range of topics relating to vaccination in Australia.
The first two episodes cover vaccine myths, and how our body's respond when we receive a vaccine.
Listen on our website or search ‘The Vaccine Coverage’ in your favourite podcast app.
Updated immunisation reference page: Pneumococcal
Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of serious illness in Australian children under 2 years and older Australians, and is responsible for over a million deaths worldwide every year.
Pneumococcal disease is caused by infection with the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. Symptoms vary depending on the site of infection; they may include fever, headache, earache and cough. Infection may result in meningitis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord), pneumonia, septicaemia (blood infection) and osteomyelitis (bone infection), for example.
We have recently updated our pneumococcal reference page. The updated page includes more details on pneumococcal transmission and epidemiology, as well as detailed guidance on vaccine recommendations by age and risk category.
New publication: Analyzing an immunization resource website
Researchers from SAEFVIC (Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Vaccination In the Community) recently published an article in ‘Vaccine’, analysing user browsing trends on the MVEC website.
Over a four-year period from 2019 to 2022, there was specific interest in vaccine-related topics corresponding with key vaccine topics like COVID-19 vaccine administration techniques and adverse events following immunisation.
Vaccine: Analyzing an immunization resource website: User browsing trends
NCIRS: Webinar – Shingrix
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) is hosting a webinar on Australia’s new National Immunisation Program (NIP) shingles (zoster) vaccine, Shingrix, to be held on Tuesday 7 November 2023 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm (AEDT).
Leading experts will present on:
- the disease burden of shingles in Australia
- details about Shingrix
- the new Australian Shingrix vaccination program
- the US experience of implementing a national Shingrix program.
ABC: Permanent funding for South Australian specialist immunisation service
SA Health will permanently fund the Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s specialist immunisation service, set up in 2021.
The unit supports patients with past trauma, neurodiverse conditions and needle phobia, offering sedation for vaccination and for minor medical procedures such as blood tests, dental check-ups and X-rays.
ABC: Needle phobia can impede jabs – but a hospital service is boosting vaccines and injections
NCIRS: Multiple vaccinations for children resource
The National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) has recently developed a new resource to support conversations about administering multiple vaccinations at the same time in children.
NCIRS: Multiple vaccinations for children resource
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
Victorian Department of Health: Vaccine error management
The Victorian Department of Health has recently introduced a new immunisation resource on vaccine error management.
The resource includes easy-to-understand information about preventing vaccine errors and the most common vaccine errors, as well as directions for reporting vaccine errors to SAEFVIC (Surveillance of Adverse Events Following Vaccination In the Community).
Department of Health: Vaccine error management
Updated reference page: Development and registration of vaccines
Vaccines, like any medication in development, must undergo rigorous testing procedures and scientific evaluation to prove not only their effect on the targeted disease, but also to determine their safety, before being licensed and registered for use in vaccination programs.
Our newly updated Vaccine development and registration page includes information about vaccine clinical trials, post-licensure surveillance, registration and provisional approval, as well as health economics assessments of vaccines.
Updated MVEC: Development and registration of vaccines