OPTIONS XII for the Control of Influenza: Early bird registration extended
OPTIONS for the Control of Influenza is a global scientific meeting with a dedicated focus on influenza. OPTIONS XII will be held in Brisbane from Sunday 29 September to Wednesday 2 October 2024.
Highlights of this year’s conference include focuses on:
- Pacific Island and First Nations health
- interdisciplinary science
- knowledge exchange and networking
- policy and advocacy.
Submissions for late breaking orals and posters are open until 11 July 2024.
Early bird registrations have been extended to 30 June 2024.
Learn more about OPTIONS XII and abstract submission on the OPTIONS XII website.
Updated immunisation reference: Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
MVEC has recently updated its reference page on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
The updated page includes information about new fields added in 2024, and general guidance on how to use AIR, and what it should be used for.
MVEC: Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
ProQuad stock due to expire 16 June
Stock of the measles-mumps-rubella-varicella (MMRV) vaccine ProQuad is due to expire on 16 June 2024.
ProQuad will cease to be listed on the National Immunisation Program (NIP) schedule on 1 July 2024.
Vaccines must be disposed of immediately when the expiry date is reached, according to your state or territory's requirements.
Department of Health and Aged Care: 2024 flu season and respiratory illnesses webinar recording available
A recording of the Australian Government Health Department’s 3 May webinar on the 2024 flu season and respiratory illnesses is now available to view.
The webinar was presented by Professor Paul Kelly (Head of the interim Australian Centre for Disease Control) and Professor Nigel Crawford.
The webinar is for vaccine providers, including:
- general practitioners
- 药房自行购买疫苗。
- primary care nurses
- allied health professionals.
Department of Health and Aged Care: 2024 flu season and respiratory illnesses webinar
Immunisation Coalition: RSV update webinar
这 Immunisation Coalition will hold its RSV update webinar on 26 June, from 6:00 pm (AEST).
The webinar will be moderated by Dr Andrew Minton and features Dr Gemma Saravanos as speaker.
Learn more and register on the Immunisation Coalition’s event page.
Trending immunisation resources: Shoulder injury related to vaccine administration (SIRVA)
SIRVAs are a rare but serious complication following suspected inadvertent administration of a vaccine too high in the deltoid or into the shoulder joint. This can lead to a local inflammatory response and potential trauma to local structures within the shoulder. Implications of SIRVA can include long-term pain and restricted movement, difficulty with completing activities of daily living/caring for others, time off work, loss of income, inability to participate in sports/hobbies and impacts on the social and emotional wellbeing of the affected person.
Ensuring a correct injection technique can prevent SIRVA from occurring in the first place. We encourage vaccine providers to familiarise themselves with MVEC’s Administration of injected vaccines – correct technique reference page for guidance on identifying the correct injection site.
Further information on SIRVA, including diagnosis and treatment, can be found on our SIRVA immunisation reference page. We also encourage providers to complete our free Education Portal eLearning package on SIRVA.
Victorian Department of Health: Mpox health alert updated
The Victorian Department of Health has updated its alert relating to local transmission of mpox.
The health alert, first published on 29 April 2024, was updated on 28 May 2024, and again on 6 June 2024.
Since 18 April this year, there have been 24 confirmed cases of mpox in Victoria, 21 of which were acquired locally.
Eligibility criteria for free mpox vaccination in Victoria have been expanded.
Find more information about the recent transmission and accessing vaccines at the Department of Health: Local transmission of mpox in Victoria health alert.
MVEC featured on health podcasts
MVEC nurse educators Katie Butler and Rachael McGuire have recently featured as guests on local health podcasts.
Katie was a guest on the PAEDS Education ‘PEADS Small Talk’ podcast, as part of a mini series celebrating International Nurses Day (12 May).
Listen now, IND Mini Series: Katie – The Immunisation Educator Nurse
Rachael was a guest on the Royal Children’s Hospital Education Hub podcast ‘The conversation with the experts’ where she discussed vaccine administration.
Listen now, Vaccine administration insights
Australian Immunisation Handbook: New chapter on mpox
The Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care recently added a new chapter on mpox (previously known as monkeypox) to the 澳大利亚免疫手册.
Mpox is a viral zoonosis (an infection spread from animals to humans). In Victoria, vaccination is available free of charge for individuals who meet certain criteria.
The new chapter on mpox includes detailed information on mpox disease, epidemiology, vaccination and more.
Read the new chapter at Australian Immunisation Handbook: Mpox
Victorian Department of Health: Mpox
MVEC: Mpox
BBC: A 70-year-old system could help us prepare a bird flu vaccine for humans
There is a current global animal pandemic of avian influenza, but the virus does not yet have the ability to spread efficiently in humans. Should this change, there are systems in place to produce a human vaccine for bird flu.
This month in Victoria, a human case of avian influenza was detected in a recently returned traveller.
Read more about avian flu vaccine preparedness at BBC: A 70-year-old system could help us prepare a bird flu vaccine for humans.