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Programs - Immunisation

Immunisation -  Latest News


Whooping cough

NSW Health has extended the availability of free whooping cough (pertussis) vaccine for new parents, grandparents and carers of infants less than 12 months of age until June 2012. This pertussis cocooning strategy has been running since May 2009 to protect infants who are too young to be vaccinated.    

Information on whooping cough is available on the NSW Health website here and free vaccine can be ordered using the Pertussis Outbreak GP Vaccine Order Form available here.

Pneumovax 23 – Recommendation about revaccination

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has made the following recommendations about Pneumovax 23:

  • a dose of Pneumovax 23 should be given to all adults at 65 years of age
  • a second dose (a single revaccination) of Pneumovax 23 is no longer recommended for non-Indigenous adults aged 65 years and over without conditions that predispose them to an increased risk of invasive pneumococcal disease
  • a second dose continues to be recommended for those with any of these predisposing conditions
  • recommendations for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged <65 years of age are unchanged from the Australian Immunisation Handbook (9th edition).

 

The ATAGI Statement is available here and advice from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) is available here. Pneumovax 23 can be ordered using the GP Standard Vaccine Order Form here

Revaccination with Pneumovax 23® for people 15 years and older

 

First dose Pneumovax 23® given to:                

Second dose of   Pneumovax 23® 

Third dose of Pneumovax 23®

Non-Indigenous adults 65 years or  older with no underlying chronic medical conditions who are non-smokers

No

Note change: a second dose was previously recommended.

No

Non-Indigenous adults 65 years or older with *underlying chronic medical conditions or  smoker

Give 5 years after the 1st dose

 

No

Non-Indigenous adults under 65 years with underlying chronic medical conditions* or smoker

 

Give 5 years after the 1st dose

Give 5 years after 2nd dose or at 65 years of age, whichever is later

Indigeneous adults aged 50 year or older

Give 5 years after the 1st dose

No

Indigenous adults under 50 years with underlying chronic medical conditions* or smoker

 

Give 5 years after the 1st dose

Give 5 years after 2nd dose or at 50 years of age, whichever is later

Asplenic individuals

Give 5 years after the 1st dose

Give 5 years after 2nd dose or at

Indigenous: 50 years of age

Non-Indigenous: 65 years of age, whichever is later

 

 

 

 

  • Prevenar Handbook - Copy is available from Anne at the Division. 

 

 

 

 

  • Q Fever Website

The CSL Q Fever website is now live; The Q Fever website contains the following information for healthcare professionals:

 

  • General information on Q Fever (incl. disease symptoms, transmission etc.)
  • Tips (and photos) on how to administer the skin test
  • Interpretation of serology and skin test results
  • The educational DVD (featuring Dr Krys Szatsznajder)
  • The PDF of the Q Fever handbook “A guide to Q Fever and Q Fever vaccination”
  • The Q Fever CMI
  • The Q Fever PI

 

To visit the CSL Q Fever website go to the following address:

http://www.cslbiotherapies.com.au/s1/cs/aucb/1255923524039/content/1255923523169/content.htm

 

The website can be accessed via secure login only using the following case-sensitive username and password:

  • Username:        QVAXHCP (all in uppercase)
  • Password:        QFever2011

 

If you have any further queries on the website, please contact the CSL Medical Information Department on 1800 642 865.