Immunisation Weekly Update:

Vaccination coverage in RACF

Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) data suggests that only 36% of people aged 70+ living in the central and eastern Sydney PHN region are immunised against Pneumococcal diseases.

Immunisation providers are reminded to check AIR immunisation history statements of patients going into Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACF) and of current residents to ensure they are up to date with all recommended vaccinations including Pneumococcal, COVID-19, Influenza and Zoster.

If you need assistance in how to access AIR immunisation history statements via practice management software please contact us.

Shield yourself from shingles

The new “Shield yourself from shingles” resource collection contains factsheets, brochures, and posters about shingles vaccinations for eligible people.

Factsheets

• Shield yourself from shingles – People 65 and over
• Shield yourself from shingles – First Nations 

First Nations people aged 50 and over – Brochures and posters

• Shield yourself from shingles – First Nations – Brochure 1, Brochure 2, Brochure 3 and Brochure 4
• Shield yourself from shingles – First Nations – Poster 1, Poster 2, Poster 3 and Poster 4

People aged 65 and over – Brochures and posters

• Shield yourself from shingles – Brochure 5, Brochure 6, Brochure 7, and Brochure 8
• Shield yourself from shingles – Poster 5, Poster 6, Poster 7, and Poster 8

NCIRS shingles webinar videos now available

Recordings of the NCIRS webinar ‘New shingles vaccine on the NIP’ are now available.

A knowledgeable panel of domestic and international experts presented and answered questions on topics including the disease burden of shingles in Australia, details about Shingrix®, including clinical trial results and mechanism of protection, and the new Australian shingles program, including eligibility for NIP-funded vaccination.

NCIRS resource: Shingles FAQs

NCIRS has released a new shingles FAQs digital resource that provides answers to over 20 common questions about shingles, including:

• How many doses of a shingles vaccine are required?
• Should a person receive a shingles vaccine if they have had a chickenpox (varicella) vaccine?
• Can a person receive other vaccines at the same time as shingles vaccines?
• If a person has already received a dose of Zostavax®, can they receive Shingrix®?

The resource includes the latest information about Shingrix® (and its predecessor on the NIP, Zostavax®), and gives a detailed description of NIP eligibility as well as an overview of shingles disease.

AusVaxSafety commences Shingrix® surveillance

AusVaxSafety is conducting enhanced active surveillance of Shingrix® across Australia to provide reassurance that the short-term safety profile of the vaccine is consistent with previous data.

Shingrix® vaccine safety data will be published on the AusVaxSafety website and updated monthly once enough data are collected to allow meaningful analysis.

COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Error (VAE) reporting form

Vaccine providers can now report a COVID-19 vaccine administration error using the new VAE reporting form.

Pertussis (whooping cough)

NSW Health have cautioned GPs that whooping cough infection is starting to increase in NSW and GPs should order a PCR test for people with clinical features of pertussis, even if fully vaccinated. If pertussis is suspected, ask the patient to avoid contact with babies and pregnant women while the result is pending.

Ensure that all patients are up to date with recommended vaccinations; this is especially important for:

• pregnant women, who should be vaccinated between 20-32 weeks gestation (ideally at 28 weeks) to provide antibodies to their infant for protection in the first few months of life infants and their siblings
• adults who care for infants (aged under 6 months) who have not received a booster in the last 10 years

Education and events

News highlights

In case you missed anything, catch up on the latest immunisation news:

Latest immunisation resources

Access to the most recent information is essential, as immunisation advice is updated regularly:

Latest COVID-19 resources

COVID-19 vaccination advice is updated regularly, links to the most up-to-date information are listed below: