The bmj: Midwives and paramedics can deliver flu and covid vaccines after new laws come into force
New laws, introduced by the UK government, will now see midwives and paramedics able to administer influenza and COVID-19 vaccines (once available). Expanding the workforce responsible for administering vaccines will improve the public's access to vaccination. These healthcare workers will undergo additional training to ensure patient safety is maintained.
Currently doctors, accredited nurse immunisers, nurse practitioners and pharmacist immunisers can administer vaccines in Victoria.
To read more follow the link below:
The bmj: Midwives and paramedics can deliver flu and covid vaccines after new laws come into force
Pulse: Flu and Covid-19 vaccines will need to be given separately, says deputy CMO
Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy Chief Medical Officer for England, and medical adviser on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has revealed that he is cautiously optimistic that some COVID-19 vaccines will be available before Christmas. He has also warned that it is unlikely that any COVID-19 vaccine could be co-administered with influenza vaccines due to a lack of safety data.
Read the article in full below:
Pulse: Flu and Covid-19 vaccines will need to be given separately, says deputy CMO
COVID-19 vaccines: time to talk about the uncertainties
In the following article, Kanta Subbarao, director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza in Melbourne, discusses the unknowns that lie ahead as we plan for the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine. Community engagement and transparency will be key to a successful vaccination campaign. Professor Subbarao touches on public involvement and the idea of "citizen juries" to participate in discussions on the risks and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and who should receive the vaccine first.
To read the article in full please follow the link below:
Nature: COVID-19 vaccines: time to talk about the uncertainties
Professor Subbarao was recently a guest on our COVID19: Road to a vaccine podcast series. To listen to her episode please refer to the following link:
Advance purchase agreements: what does that mean?
The Australian Government has made a number of advance purchase agreements in order to ensure that Australians have access to COVID-19 vaccines once they are proven to be safe and effective.
The following document from the European Commission, outlines what an advance purchase agreement entails and the negotiation process behind it:
Questions and Answers: Coronavirus and the EU Vaccines Strategy
Who pays compensation if a COVID-19 vaccine has rare side-effects? Here's the little we know about Australia's new deal
In the recent federal budget, the Australian Government revealed it would provide indemnity against liability for both the AstraZeneca Oxford and the University of Queensland COVID-19 vaccine candidates. Should either vaccine be approved, and if rare side-effects occur, the government will be responsible for providing compensation. Vaccine compensation schemes currently exist in many countries however, at present Australia is not one of them.
The following article, published in The Conversation, outlines what is known about the proposed indemnity deal and what it means for Australians.
To read the article in full follow the link below:
The New York Times: She hunts viral rumors about real viruses
In the following article by the New York Times, Anthropologist and Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project, Professor Heidi Larson, suggests that vaccine hesitancy is not a byproduct of misinformation, but represents a problem with trust. Heidi's research focuses on what factors undermine vaccine acceptance and immunisation uptake across the globe. She suggests that in order to build trust, health care providers need to focus communication strategies on answering the questions being asked and not just providing scientific information and public health recommendations.
Read the article in full below:
The New York Times: She hunts viral rumors about real viruses
Heidi was recently a special guest on our COVID-19 Road to a vaccine podcast series. To listen to Heidi's episode follow the below link to our podcast page:
AJGP, October 2020: a focus on immunisation
The October 2020 edition of the Australian Journal of General Practice covers important topics in immunisation including:
- Immunisation and allergy in children and adults: A case based approach
- Seizures following vaccination in children: Risks, outcomes and management of subsequent revaccination
- Preparing the public for COVID-19 vaccines: How can general practitioners build vaccine confidence and optimise uptake for themselves and their patients?
- Maternal vaccinations
- BCG : An update on current Australian practices
Read the articles in full below:
Australian Journal of General Practice, October 2020
Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) COVID-19 Working Group
The role of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) is to provide independent advice to the Minister for Health on all matters relating to immunisation in Australia. In September 2020 ATAGI convened a new SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) working group. The key objectives of this group are to provide advice on COVID-19 immunisation programs and policies, to improve confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and to ensure equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines as they become available in Australia.
To learn more, please see below:
EMA starts first rolling review of a COVID-19 vaccine in the EU
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has begun a "rolling review" of the AstraZeneca Oxford SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate. Normal regulatory processes for medicines involve the submission of all safety and efficacy data to the Agency at the completion of clinical trials. A "rolling review" means that the Agency can begin evaluating data as it becomes available. By employing this method of approval, the regulation process will maintain its usual quality and safety standards, but be shorter than the usual process due to the time gained by reviewing data as it becomes available.
To learn more please read below:
EMA starts first rolling review of a COVID-19 vaccine in the EU
Frontiers in Immunology: Progress and Pitfalls in the Quest for Effective SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Vaccines
With over 200 COVID-19 vaccine candidates currently in pre-clinical and clinical trials, the following article reviews what we know about the immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and explores the various vaccine platforms being utilised to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Potential issues including adverse effects and the need for mass production are also discussed, as well as the challenges of rapid and equitable vaccine delivery.
Read the article in full here: