AstraZeneca Vaccine Update
A reminder from today (Wednesday 21 April), eligible people aged under 50 will be able to provide their informed consent to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine at Victoria’s vaccination centres.
To administer AstraZeneca to people aged under 50, the State Department of Health is encouraging health services and other service providers to take steps in respect of the recent ATAGI recommendations.
Please read our latest update for more information here.
World Immunisation Week
Using the theme ‘Vaccines bring us closer’, World Immunisation Week 2021 from 24-30 April will urge greater engagement around immunisation globally to promote the importance of vaccination in bringing people together, and improving the health and wellbeing of everyone, everywhere throughout life.
Western Victoria PHN (WVPHN) is particularly proud of the high immunisation rates across our region.
The 2020 PHN Childhood immunisation coverage data for the quarter ending December 2020 reports WVPHN as the second highest among PHNs for full immunisation of 1, 2 and 5–year–old children as follows:
- 12-<15 Months (1–year–old) – 96.55%
- 24-<27 Months (2–year–old) – 95.43%
- 60-<63 Months (5–year-old) - 97.10%
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in WVPHN region:
- 12-<15 Months (1–year–old) – 96.72% (ranked 4th among PHNs)
- 24-<27 Months (2–year–old) – 96.25% (ranked 1st among PHNs)
- 60-<63 Months (5–year-old) – 98.88% (ranked 3rd among PHNs)
WVPHN has successfully met the target rate for full immunisation of 95% for all aged groups in each stream of reporting. Well done to all immunisation providers in our region for continuing to support and facilitate childhood immunisation through the COVID-19 pandemic.
I would also like to recognise the hard work of practices in western Victoria administering the COVID-19 vaccinations with the challenges and new advice from ATAGI. However, despite these challenges, is a major contributor to the vaccination roll-out as we remain committed to ensuring our communities are vaccinated.
Royal Commission into Veteran and Serving Defence Personnel Suicides
Western Victoria PHN (WVPHN) welcomes the Australian government’s announcement of a Royal Commission into the suicide rate of our current and veteran defence personnel. This enquiry is an important next stage in the current work being undertaken at a state and federal level to reduce suicide rates across the country.
WVPHN is currently working with local leaders, health care providers and people with a lived experience in a number of suicide prevention initiatives across western Victoria.
The announcement of this commission is timely, and we look forward to the recommendations from the commission’s report and to ultimately supporting the implementation of a system of care that works for current and returned service personnel.
Rowena Clift
Chief Executive Officer