The RCH Immunisation Service: Drive-through clinic is now open

To support families in continuing to receive scheduled vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic, the RCH Immunisation Service has just opened its own immunisation drive-through clinic. Additional precautions have been implemented to ensure the safety of all patients, families and staff. Access to medical care remains an essential service during this time and staying up to date with scheduled immunisations is encouraged.

The drive-through clinic will operate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am - 1pm until September 15. 

Bookings for the drive-through clinic are mandatory and can be made by contacting the immunisation team via this link. 


New immunisation reference page: Immunosuppression and vaccines

Having certain medical conditions or taking specific medications can lead to immunosuppression and the decreased ability to fight infections. For these patients, prevention of disease is critical. Our new reference page outlines additional vaccines to consider, and specific vaccines that may be contraindicated.

To learn more follow the link to एमवीईसी: इम्यूनोसप्रेशन और टीके 


COVID19 Road to a vaccine episode 10: Professor Paul Young and Professor Trent Munro

In episode 10 of our COVID19 Road to a vaccine series, our host, Nigel Crawford, speaks with Professors Paul Young and Trent Munro to discuss the University of Queensland (UQ) COVID-19 vaccine candidate. UQ and CEPI (the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness and Innovation) have partnered with CSL (Seqirus) to advance their novel molecular clamp technology to develop their vaccine for COVID-19. This vaccine has recently progressed to Phase 1 clinical trials. In this episode they discuss:

  • The University of Queensland COVID19 vaccine development process
  • The involvement of CEPI in their trial
  • The use of a molecular clamp platform in the development of their protein SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
  • Results of their preclinical trials
  • Their partnership with CSL/Seqirus and the use of the MF59 adjuvant
  • The timeline of their clinical trials and the upcoming steps 

लिंक:

Listen to the episode here:

स्प्रेकर - सेब - Spotify 


New immunisation reference page: Breastfeeding and immunisations

Immunising breastfeeding mothers can not only protect the mother from vaccine preventable diseases but also provide passive immunity to the baby. Our new reference page details different vaccines and scenarios for consideration when immunising a mother who is breastfeeding.

To learn more follow the link to MVEC: Breastfeeding and immunisation


HealthEd podcast featuring Associate Professor Nigel Crawford

MVEC's Associate Professor Nigel Crawford was recently a guest speaker on the HealthEd podcast series Going Viral. In this podcast, Nigel discusses the COVID-19 vaccine, its access equity, safety and manufacture; as well as antibody responses following COVID-19 disease and how this may impact our vaccine strategy.

To listen to this podcast please follow the link


COVID19 Road to a vaccine episode 9: Professor Robert Booy

In episode 9 of our COVID19 Road to a vaccine series, our host, Associate Professor Nigel Crawford, speaks with Professor Robert Booy. Robert is a Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Sydney and is a Senior Professorial Fellow at NCIRS, the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance at Westmead Children’s Hospital. He has special research interests in serious infections and their prevention, particularly in the setting of aged care facilities. In this episode they discuss:

  • Special risk groups when it comes to SARS-CoV-2, in particular, those living and working in aged care facilities
  • How the ageing process leads to immunosenescence and the impact of this on vaccine efficacy in the elderly population
  • The use of adjuvants in vaccines for the elderly population
  • How to improve public health messaging and the management of respiratory illnesses in aged care facilities
  • Lessons learnt from around the world with high mortality rates in aged care residents and workers and how that can inform the response to outbreaks in aged care facilities in Australia

लिंक:

Listen to the episode here:

स्प्रेकर - सेब - Spotify 

 

 


The virus and the clock, with Moderna's Tal Zaks- A podcast with the Milken Institute

In this podcast, the Milken Institute interviews Tal Zaks, the Chief Medical Officer of Moderna Therapeutics to discuss the development of their COVID-19 vaccine candidate using messenger RNA (mRNA) technology. It took them only 63 days from the time the virus was sequenced until the vaccine candidate began human clinical trials. It is hoped that this new technology may also be adapted as possible treatments for other genetic diseases. 

Listen to the podcast यहाँ

 


NDTV speak to Professor Kanta Subbarao, Director of WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza

NDTV have spoken to Professor Kanta Subbarao, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre For Reference And Research On Influenza in Melbourne, Australia about the race for a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and the possibility of developing herd immunity.
Watch the video interview here:
In June, we spoke to Professor Subbarao in our एक वैक्सीन के लिए COVID19 रोड podcast series, access the episode here:

COVID19 Road to a vaccine episode 8: Professor Katie Flanagan

In episode 8 of our COVID19 Road to a vaccine series, our host, Associate Professor Nigel Crawford, speaks with Professor Katie Flanagan. Katie is Head of Infectious Diseases at Launceston General Hospital and is affiliated with the University of Tasmania, Monash University and RMIT where she is involved in a broad range of research projects, with her main interests being in vaccinology and infectious diseases immunology. She has led a number of vaccine immunology trials. In this episode they discuss:

  • Immunological aspects of SARS-CoV-2
  • Vaccine responses in adults versus children and the difference in adult immune systems
  • Vaccinology strategies being used in the development of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine
  • Antibody response variation by age
  • Viral vector vaccines and how they work
  • Novel vaccine approaches and the implications of these on vaccine safety including: mRNA and DNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccines 

लिंक:

Download the episode:

स्प्रेकर - सेब - Spotify 

 


New immunisation reference page: Eczema and immunisations

Eczema or atopic dermatitis is a common skin condition affecting people of any ages. Whilst it is recognised that vaccines can cause a flare of eczema symptoms, there is no causal relationship identified between eczema and immunisations in the literature. 

For further information on eczema and immunisation please refer to our MVEC page यहाँ