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
RCH Symposium: Holding children for procedures
The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne (RCH) is holding a symposium ‘Holding children for procedures: Reflections on healthcare practice’ on Wednesday 29 November 2023.
The symposium features Prof Lucy Bray.
Learn more and register on the event page.
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).
Immunisation Coalition: Webinar – Shingles
The Immunisation Coalition will be hosting a shingles (zoster) webinar on Wednesday 15 November 2023 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm (AEDT).
The webinar will feature A/Prof John Litt with Dr Andrew Minton as moderator, and will cover topics including zoster epidemiology, changes to the National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule and current trends in vaccination rates.
Register with the Immunisation Coalition
NCIRS: Webinar – Shingrix
The टीकाकरण अनुसंधान और निगरानी के लिए राष्ट्रीय केंद्र (एनसीआईआरएस) 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.
The 2023 CVU – what’s next?
Thank you to everyone who attended the CVU. If you have not had a chance to complete our post-event survey, we would love to hear from you. Please let us know your thoughts and help us shape future MVEC events.
We will be in touch soon to provide attendance certificates and directions for accessing recordings of the presentations.
People who did not attend the event will be able to purchase a recording of the CVU soon.
For regular MVEC updates and to be notified of future events, हमारे न्युजलेटर की सदस्यता प्राप्त करें या हमें @mvecau पर फ़ॉलो करें Instagram और ट्विटर और मेलबर्न वैक्सीन एजुकेशन सेंटर - एमवीईसी पर फेसबुक.
Updated immunisation reference page: Pertussis
We have recently updated our pertussis reference page.
Pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough) is a highly contagious respiratory disease. Pertussis is usually more serious in infants under 6 months, but it can affect people of any age.
The updated page includes new details on pertussis epidemiology and more information about transmission. We have also published detailed guidance and recommendations for primary course and booster vaccinations across age groups.
अद्यतित टीकाकरण संदर्भ पृष्ठ: ज़ोस्टर (हरपीज ज़ोस्टर)
We have recently updated our zoster (also known as shingles) reference page.
Zoster is the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV) in people who have previously had varicella (chickenpox) infection. Zoster presents with a painful blistering rash. The most common side effect is post-herpetic neuralgia.
The updated page includes new details on eligibility for the upcoming National Immunisation Program (NIP) funding for Shingrix, commencing on 1 November 2023. The page also features commonly asked questions on zoster and Shingrix.
एमवीईसी: ज़ोस्टर (हरपीस ज़ोस्टर)