Influenza 2024 Resources

• Influenza Vaccination Provider Toolkit (NSW Health) This toolkit assists providers in rolling out and implementing their NIP influenza vaccination programs.
• 2024 seasonal influenza vaccination information for immunisation providers (NSW Health). Information on ordering influenza vaccines through the NSW Vaccine Centre, vaccine strains, influenza vaccines (available in 2023), influenza and COVID-19 vaccination
• 2024 Influenza vaccines (NSW Health) A visual guide to the presentation and free vaccine eligibility of influenza vaccines
• 2024 influenza vaccination – Program advice for health professionals Program advice for vaccination providers (Department of Health)
• ATAGI statement on the administration of seasonal influenza vaccines in 2024
• Influenza fact sheet (NSW Health)
• Influenza information for pregnant women (NSW Health)

Clinical resources

• The Australian Immunisation Handbook The Australian Immunisation Handbook provides clinical guidelines for healthcare professionals about using vaccines safely and effectively.
• NSW Immunisation schedule (NSW Health) Vaccines funded under the National Immunisation Program
• Winter Planning Toolkit RACGP Winter Planning Toolkit which highlights key priorities and principals of infection prevention and control; workforce protection and planning; processes for patient management; and managing the risk of cross-infection.
• Infection Prevention and Control Practice Handbook Clinical Excellence Commission handbook which includes practical day-to-day guidance to support the implementation of NSW Health Infection Prevention and Control Policy directive.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) has recently published new advice for 2024 on COVID-19 vaccines https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/covid-19-vaccines/getting-your-vaccination/booster-doses

In 2024, those aged 75 years and over continue to be recommended a dose of COVID-19 vaccine every six months.

• Those aged over 65 years of age, and adults with severe immunocompromise, continue to be eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine dose every 6 months.

• All other adults can receive a single dose this year.

Clinical recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines can be found in the COVID-19 chapter of the Australian Immunisation Handbook (the Handbook). The Handbook is in the process of being updated to reflect updates in 2024, with updates available in the coming weeks.

Recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses

COVID-19 Vaccines in Australia – A3 poster

Updated FAQs for practitioners about vaccination and immunisation have been published on the Ahpra website.

This follows Ahpra and the National Boards recently consulting with key stakeholders about what information would be helpful for registered health practitioners about vaccination and immunisation, taking into account public health advice and the high rates of vaccination against COVID-19 in Australia.

The NMBA’s Position statement on nurses and midwives and vaccination will also be reviewed in line with current advice.

The updated information about vaccination and immunisation draws from the National Boards’ regulatory tools, including:

• codes of conduct
• social media guidance, and
• Guidelines for advertising a regulated health service.

The Australian Government has responded to unprecedented demand for the Shingrix vaccine, with over 487,000 doses administered within the initial three months of the program. As concerns arise over accessibility due to the surge in demand, officials assure the public that efforts are underway to ensure timely access for eligible Australians. With approximately half a million doses currently available nationwide and an additional 100,000 doses set for distribution in the coming fortnight, collaboration between federal, state, and territory governments, along with vaccine supplier GSK, aims to manage distribution equitably.

The recent transition from Zostavax to Shingrix under the National Immunisation Program has necessitated adjustments, but health authorities stress that vaccination remains a crucial preventive measure against shingles. Eligible individuals, including those over 65, First Nations people over 50, and immunocompromised individuals, are encouraged to engage with their local healthcare providers for scheduling.

More information is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

The new AIR043A – Vaccine Details report is available for vaccination providers through the AIR site. Vaccination providers can use this report to extract and reconcile vaccination information that they have previously reported to the AIR. The report contains information about the individual they have vaccinated and the relevant vaccine details (such as vaccine brand, vaccine type and route of administration).

Pharmacies participating in the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacies (NIPVIP) Program may find this report useful for reconciling vaccinations provided when lodging claims for payment with the Pharmacy Programs Administrator. Further information about the AIR043A report is available on the Services Australia website.

From 1 March 2024, the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) will have new mandatory reporting requirements. This will improve the data currently held.

1. Vaccine Type

Under the ‘vaccine type’ field, providers will be able to choose from 4 vaccine types:

• Antenatal
• NIP/Commonwealth
• Private, or
• State Program.

Only one option can be selected under the ‘vaccine type’ field.

The Antenatal option should be selected when the person presenting is pregnant at the time the vaccine is administered, regardless of whether the vaccine is funded privately, under the NIP or a state and territory program. COVID-19 vaccines should be reported as NIP/Commonwealth.

2. Route of administration

The ‘route of administration’ field will only be mandatory for Japanese encephalitis vaccines. Under the ‘route of administration’ field, providers will be able to choose from: Oral, Subcutaneous, Intradermal, or Intramuscular.

Bp Premier

The AIR mandatory changes were included in the current version of Bp Premier, Orchid SP1 Revision 1. Upgrade now to minimise the risk of implications to your practice and patients.

MedicalDirector Clinical

Availability of these reporting fields in MedicalDirector software will be reflected in Clinical version 4.3, which is available from 14 February 2024.

Sites are encouraged to utilise all opportunities to vaccinate eligible patients – if a patient is eligible and requires a COVID-19 vaccine, do not delay, open a vial, and vaccinate them.

Wastage of vaccine is an inevitable part of the COVID-19 program and there are no penalties for sites should wastage occur as we transition to a more opportunistic model of vaccination.

Vaccine wastage is required to be recorded via weekly stock management reports.

Excess COVID-19 vaccines?

Practices with an oversupply of COVID-19 vaccine stock on hand are encouraged to contact HNECCPHN via email at vaccine@thephn.com.au to help facilitate transfer to practices to who require additional supply. Include details on vaccine brand, excess quantity and defrost expiry date.

The Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) has recommended the composition of the influenza vaccines for Australia in 2024 following review and evaluation of epidemiology, antigenic and genetic data of recent influenza viruses circulating in Australia and the southern hemisphere.

Further information is available on the TGA website.

Egg-based quadrivalent influenza vaccines AIVC recommendations:

• an A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus; NEW
• an A/Thailand/8/2022 (H3N2)-like virus; NEW
• a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and
• a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.

Cell- or recombinant-based quadrivalent influenza vaccines AIVC recommendations:

• an A/Wisconsin/67/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus; NEW
• an A/Massachusetts/18/2022 (H3N2)-like virus; NEW
• a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and
• a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.

Resources on the 2024 influenza vaccination will be available ahead of the influenza vaccination program on the NSW Health website. Advice on when and how to order 2024 NIP influenza vaccines will be circulated in February 2024.

The current formulations of influenza vaccine that are available to order from the State Vaccine Centre (SVC) are 2023 influenza vaccines.

Please note the following expiration dates for 2023 influenza vaccines:

• Vaxigrip Tetra: Expired on 31/12/2023 – DISCARD.
• Fluarix Tetra: Expiring 29/02/2024 – monitor expiration date.
• Afluria Quad: Expiring 29/02/2024 – monitor expiration date.
• Fluad Quad: Expiring between 15/02/2024 and 17/02/2024 – monitor expiration date.

Novavax ancestral formulation is no longer available to order from CVAS and current supply is close to expiry with last doses expiring Wednesday 31 January 2024.

Providers are encouraged to recall any patients who are unable to have mRNA vaccines and have not received their recommended COVID-19 vaccinations before 31 January 2024 to receive a Novavax vaccine.

A new Novavax XBB.1.5 formulation (Nuvaxovid) is currently under regulatory review and is expected to be available in time for the 2024 autumn respiratory season.

A new National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) report has uncovered a concerning downward trend in fully vaccinated coverage among Australian children since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Annual Immunisation Coverage Report 2022 is the first study of its kind to thoroughly examine the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on vaccination coverage in children, adolescents and adults across Australia.

Fully vaccinated coverage in children was measured at three standard age assessment milestones – 12 months (for vaccines due at 6 months), 24 months (for vaccines due at 6, 12 and 18 months) and 60 months (for vaccines due at 4 years).

Between 2021 and 2022, fully vaccinated coverage in children overall decreased:

• from 94.2% to 93.3% at 12 months
• from 92.1% to 91.0% at 24 months
• from 94.0% to 93.4% at 60 months.

Declines in fully vaccinated coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were greater than in children overall – specifically:

• from 91.6% to 90.0% at 12 months
• from 90.1% to 87.9% at 24 months
• from 96.3% to 95.1% at 60 months.

These larger decreases in coverage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children – particularly those in remote areas – highlight the differential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to improve the timeliness of routine and catch-up vaccinations.

Improving on-time and catch-up vaccinations is a key pillar of the national goal to meet and exceed Australia’s immunisation coverage target of 95%.

Although vaccination coverage in Australia is relatively high by global standards, childhood immunisation rates have continued to decline in the first half of 2023, underscoring the need for enhanced strategies to increase uptake and protect more children from vaccine preventable diseases.

The full and summary versions of this report, as well as the accompanying NCIRS media release, can be accessed via the links below:

Media release

Annual Immunisation Coverage Report 2022 – Summary

Annual Immunisation Coverage Report 2022