Immunisation Weekly Update:

Welcome to our weekly Immunisation Update! In this week’s update read about:

• New no-freeze COVID-19 vaccine
• COVID-19 booster recommendations
• Japanese encephalitis virus risk
• Meningococcal update
• AIR uploads no longer available in MedicalDirector Clinical version 4.2
• Education

New no-freeze COVID-19 vaccine

The JN.1 12 years+ pre-filled syringe (PFS) vaccine is a new formulation that is never frozen, so there is no thawed use-by-date.

The JN.1 single-dose and multi-dose vials (SDV and MDV) will continue to have a thawed use-by-date. To avoid vaccine administration errors, sites must have clear processes to identify the correct expiry dates for the different types of JN.1 vaccines.

The JN.1 vaccine comes in a range of presentations such as single-dose vials (SDV), multi-dose vials (MDV) and pre-filled syringe (PFS):

• Pfizer (JN.1) 12 years+: Pre-filled syringe (PFS) **new no-freeze formulation**
• Pfizer (JN.1) 12 years+: 6 dose vial (MDV)
• Pfizer (JN.1) 5-11 years: Single dose vial (SDV)
• Pfizer (JN.1) 6months-4 years: 3 dose vial (MDV)

COVID-19 booster recommendations

A COVID-19 booster is recommended for older adults and people with certain medical conditions who have an increased risk of severe disease or death from COVID-19. This includes:

• Adults 75 years and over every 6 months.
• Adults 65 to 74 years every 12 months but can consider booster doses every 6 months.
• Adults 65 years and older with compromised immunity every 6 months.
• Adults 18–64 years without severe immunocompromise can consider booster doses every 12 months based on a risk–benefit assessment, such as the presence of other medical conditions that may increase the risk of severe COVID-19.

Current COVID-19 vaccine recommendations can be found in the Australian Immunisation Handbook.

Japanese encephalitis virus risk

Routine testing detected Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in mosquitoes collected near Griffith, in the Murrumbidgee region of NSW.

Warm weather and rainfall predicted for January to March 2025 could create an environment for increased risk of JEV and other mosquito borne infections. People who are most risk of JEV if they work or recreate outside (e.g., camping, fishing, hiking, gardening) in high-risk areas, or work at or live close to piggeries.

NSW Health is encouraging providers to offer free JEV vaccination to eligible patients. The State Vaccine Centre will accept orders for vaccine until 12 pm Wednesday 18 December for dispatch for delivery Thursday 19 December. Routine deliveries will recommence Monday 6 January 2025.

See Media release and Provider update.

Meningococcal update

On 11 December 2024, the Australian Immunisation Handbook chapter on meningococcal disease has been updated and includes:

• removal of reference to Trumenba vacccine which has been discontinued.
• clinical guidance added for scenarios where Trumenba primary series was not completed or a booster is required.
• clinical guidance added for adolescents who have previously received MenACWY or MenB vaccine.
• variation from product information added for interval and number of doses for Bexsero in infants aged 2-5 months.

The updated meningococcal chapter can be viewed here.

AIR uploads no longer available in MedicalDirector Clinical version 4.2

From 5 December 2024, uploading to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is no longer supported from MedicalDirector Clinical V4.2 or earlier. To continue uploading vaccination records to AIR, providers must upgrade MedicalDirector software. Over 80% of MedicalDirector Clinical customers are now using version 4.3.

Education