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Australia managed to avoid pandemic damage in 2020, though regular disease outbreaks and an ineffective hotel quarantine regime served as reminders that vaccination was our only real recourse beyond suppression. With that in mind, vaccination became an national priority among GPs, pharmacies and state-run vaccination hubs.
Table of Contents
1. Pertussis
Pertussis (whooping cough) is an infectious bacterial disease spread by contact with Bordetella pertussis bacteria and poses serious threats to infants and young children, while being life threatening in people with compromised immune systems.
Immunisation protects people against vaccine-preventable diseases and helps address antimicrobial resistance globally.
Vaccine uptake varies significantly according to demographic, pregnancy and health characteristics, yet few Australian studies evaluate trends in IIV or dTpa vaccine uptake using whole-of-population data – such data being essential in measuring Australia’s national immunisation program and developing future antenatal vaccination policies. This research adds value by evaluating spatio-temporal distributions of posterior mean relative risks across Queensland.
2. Influenza
Influenza (flu) is a highly contagious viral illness, infecting upper airways and lungs, that quickly spreads between people, especially among those with compromised immune systems.
Influenza vaccination is essential for people at risk of complications caused by influenza, such as pneumonia, heart attack and stroke. Furthermore, vaccination should be considered mandatory for children under five years and older adults alike.
This year’s flu season has seen an upsurge in cases and hospitalisations, prompting the Miles Labor Government to contribute $40 million towards providing free flu vaccinations across Queensland. GPs and pharmacies can administer free annual flu vaccinations funded under the National Immunisation Program to their patients; it may even be combined with pneumococcal vaccines or herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine.
3. Meningococcal B
Meningococcal B is a rare yet serious infection of the blood that leads to meningitis (an infection of the lining of the brain and spinal cord) as well as severe meningococcal septicemia, killing 10-15 out of every 100 people exposed and leaving survivors vulnerable to permanent disabilities such as hearing loss, loss of limbs and brain damage.
Vaccines provide an effective tool for controlling outbreaks of disease by limiting transmission from person to person. Through the National Immunisation Program, high risk groups and outbreaks are protected with vaccination.
Bexsero vaccine is a new meningococcal B vaccine developed based on New Zealand MenB outbreak strain and should be given in at least two doses to children aged two months through five years. Parents must present their child’s weight documentation for documentation of vaccination in their Personal Health Record.
4. Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A vaccinations provide an important defense against potential serious infection. They are available free to individuals over 70, aged care residents and frontline health workers; emergency services staff; as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 55 years.
Hep A vaccines are available for children living in certain parts of Queensland. Indooroopilly, St Lucia and Pullenvale boast one of the highest vaccination rates across Queensland.
Australia remains among the laggards when it comes to taking up this vaccine, according to this chart comparing it with selected OECD countries at similar points in their vaccine rollouts; some have even reached 80% coverage; Queensland government has made every effort possible to promote take-up.
5. Haemophilus Influenzae Type B
Haemophilus influenzae bacteria cause infections ranging from mild, such as ear infections, to serious bloodstream infections in those under 5 years old or those immunocompromised due to medical conditions; they may even lead to meningitis — an infection of the fluid that encases brains and spinal cords.
Hib is a vaccine developed to prevent infections caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b bacteria, with only rare instances reported since inclusion on the national immunisation schedule in 1993.
Pre-vaccine invasive Hib disease was often prevalent among Indigenous children. With the implementation of Hib vaccination programs, rates have significantly declined among all age groups.