Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza
Commonwealth Health Hotline: 1802007 (toll free outside Australia +61 8 840 288 33)
Human cases of H1N1 Influenza (Swine Influenza) have been confirmed in numerous countries around the world, including Australia.
NSW Health is coordinating the response to H1N1 Influenza in NSW. They have set up a website which provides useful resources for clinicians and patients as well as daily updates on the current situation in NSW.
Click here for information on H1N1 Influenza (Swine Influenza) from NSW Health.
For further information or clinical advice about the H1N1 Influenza please contact your local public health unit. Click here for contact details.
Important Links
NSW Health
RACGP – Advice and resources for general practice
Health Emergency - Department of Health and Ageing
Australian Government H1N1 Travel Bulletins
World Health Organisation – H1N1 Influenza
Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza
The Chief Medical Officer has released a variety of information to support the rollout of the Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza vaccination program. This advice can be accessed via the Health Emergency website.
Panvax® was registered for use in persons aged ≥10 years in September 2009. Registration or use in children aged <10 years required specific trial data on immunogenicity and safety of different antigenic concentrations.
Children aged <3 years, with and without specific risk factors, have the highest incidence of hospitalisation from both seasonal and pandemic H1N1 influenza. Therefore, children aged <10yrs are a priority group for vaccination.
ATAGI has developed a dosing schedule which considers children aged <10yrs who are and who are not planning to receive seasonal influenza vaccine in 2010 separately.
A summary table of the ATAGI recommendations for vaccination for children <10yrs is available for download from the Health Emergency Website.
QLD Health has developed a flowchart to guide use of pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines in children <10yrs of age.
Reference: Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) (2010). Use of pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines in children <10 years of age. http://www.healthemergency.gov.au/internet/healthemergency/publishing.nsf/Content/2723D54E78BF5739CA2576400027E1E9/$File/child-flu-vaccine-under-10years.pdf