Mobile-based game designed to fight misinformation around climate change, and now vaccines
The ‘Cranky Uncle’ game – a mobile/web game designed to fight misinformation on climate change – has been adapted into the ‘Cranky Uncle Vaccine’ game for use in East African countries.
Melbourne academic Dr John Cook developed the ‘Cranky Uncle’ game to incentivise players to build resilience against misinformation.
The game relies on inoculation theory as a solution to misinformation. In the game, the cranky uncle character teaches the player techniques of science denial (e.g. fake experts and logical fallacies). The theory is that exposure to a weakened form of misinformation can develop cognitive immunity.
The new ‘Cranky Uncle Vaccine’ game was co-designed through workshops held in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda, and informed by a review of studies on vaccine misinformation.
Though it is climate-focused, the original version of the ‘Cranky Uncle’ game provides helpful tools for fighting misinformation in general.
Learn about and play the ‘Cranky Uncle’ game
Read the paper published in the Journal of Health Communication Co-Designing a mobile-based game to improve misinformation resistance and vaccine knowledge in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda
MMWR: Progress in Immunization Safety Monitoring
A recent report shows that national AEFI (adverse event following immunisation) surveillance systems increasingly support the timely sharing of immunisation safety data, including individual case-based reports. When shared globally, individual case safety reports contribute to the description of trends and regional characteristics of AEFIs.
But work is still needed to strengthen global vaccine safety monitoring, and to promote public confidence in national vaccine programs.
MMWR: Progress in Immunization Safety Monitoring
GAVI: HPV vaccine roll-out in Nigeria
In late October, Nigeria began its public roll-out of the HPV vaccine.
After initial scepticism over the vaccine, community leaders campaigned to ensure the vaccine reaches all girls in the eligible age bracket.
Gavi reports, in great detail, on how the campaigners tackled misinformation and educated community member. Read more यहाँ.
ABC: Why a national shortage of cat vaccines may cause holiday havoc with pet owners
Due to an increase in pet adoption during the pandemic and manufacturing facilities shifting towards COVID-19 vaccine production, Australia is currently affected by a global shortage of cat vaccines.
The shortage may mean cat owners have trouble booking their pets into catteries, if they’re not up to date with their vaccines.
Read the ABC article in full
WHO on a return to trivalent influenza vaccines
Since there has been no detection of the naturally occurring B/Yamagata-lineage influenza virus since 2020, the opinion of the World Health Organization (WHO) influenza vaccine composition advisory committee is that the inclusion of B/Yamagata-lineage antigens in influenza vaccines is no longer warranted.
WHO recommends trivalent or quadrivalent influenza vaccines.
WHO Q&A on recommendations for 2024 south hemisphere composition of influenza vaccines
WSPID Call to action: Ensuring fair prices for all vaccines for all countries with limited resources
The World Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (WSPID) is calling on governments and international organisations around the world to address vaccine price as a matter of urgency.
WSPID’s call to action aims to address the systemic issue of unaffordable vaccine prices, through a comprehensive, multi-stakeholder approach.
Visit the WSPID website to learn more, read the call to action in full and to sign on.
Victorian Department of Health: Zostavax vaccine stock to be discarded
To avoid a shingles vaccine administration error, the Victorian Department of Health advises immunisation providers to immediately discard any remaining government supplied stock of Zostavax.
The national Shingrix vaccine program for shingles (also known as herpes zoster) was launched on 1 November 2023, replacing the previous nationally funded Zostavax program.
The MVEC zoster reference page includes vaccination guidelines and a commonly asked questions section.
Community pharmacist pilot program: travel vaccines and travel advice
फार्मासिस्ट प्रतिरक्षी are registered pharmacists who have completed अतिरिक्त प्रशिक्षण in immunisation allowing them to administer approved vaccines to specified patient groups.
In October 2023, a 12-month pilot program was launched further expanding the authority of approved community pharmacists to provide advice and some travel vaccines (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, and polio).
The purpose of this program is to increase access to affordable preventative healthcare as well as treatment for travel-related illness.
Victorian Department of Health: Victorian community pharmacist statewide pilot
Australian Immunisation Handbook: Update to recommendations for people who have recently received blood products
Last month, the Australian Immunisation Handbook updated the recommended time intervals for the vaccination of people who have recently received normal human immunoglobulin and other blood products.
The clinical guidance was updated to remove specific guidance regarding rotavirus, zoster and BCG, and to include guidance regarding live JE vaccines.
Immunisation providers should check the Handbook guidance before administering a live vaccine to someone who has received blood products or IVIG.
MVEC: Live-attenuated vaccines and immunoglobulin or blood products
New NIP vaccine program: Shingrix
As of 1 November 2023, the new National Immunisation Program (NIP) Shingrix program has commenced.
Shingrix is an inactivated vaccine used for the prevention of zoster (shingles). It has been registered for use in Australia since 2018 but until now it has only been available to purchase privately.
Shingrix has replaces Zostavax on the NIP. Zostavax is a live zoster vaccine, which could not be administered to immunocompromised people.
Shingrix is funded for:
- all people aged 65 years and over
- First Nations people aged 50 years and over
- people aged 18 years and over with certain immunocompromising conditions (history of haematopoietic stem cell transplant, solid organ transplant, blood cancer, and advanced or untreated HIV).