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.
Queensland meningococcal B vaccination program announced
The Queensland Government has announced that, beginning in early 2024, meningococcal B vaccines will be free for all infants and children under two years old, and adolescents aged 15 to 19 years.
Meningococcal is a rare but potentially life-threatening disease caused by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis. People with invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) can become extremely unwell very quickly. Of the 13 known subtypes of meningococcal, 5 are currently vaccine-preventable (B and A, C, W, Y).
Meningococcal ACWY vaccination is routinely administered under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). Under the NIP, meningococcal B vaccines are available to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged under 2 years and individuals with certain immunocompromising conditions.
MVEC recommends meningococcal ACWY and meningococcal B vaccination for anyone wishing to be protected. You can read more about IMD and vaccination on our reference page.
Queensland Government: Statement on meningococcal B vaccine
Queensland Health: Queensland menB vaccination program
Locally acquired cases of mpox (monkeypox) in Victoria
On 3 August 2023, the Victorian Department of Health issued a Chief Health Officer alert regarding local transmission of mpox (monkeypox) in Victoria.
Two locally acquired cases have been reported in Victoria.
Mpox is a viral infection. Initial symptoms include fever, headache, backache and muscle aches, fatigue and lymphadenopathy (swelling of the lymph nodes). A rash may develop 1–3 days following the beginning of the early symptoms.
The recent cases in Victoria are the first to be reported in the state since November 2022. Since May 2022, there has been an international outbreak of mpox.
People with symptoms of mpox are advised to seek medical care and testing.
Head to the MVEC mpox reference page to find out more about mpox disease and vaccine recommendations.
Health alert: Local transmission of mpox in Victoria