Vaccine preventable disease, other than COVID-19, took a back seat during the pandemic.
In this Matter of Vax series we explore diseases less talked about. We unpack five of the big, potentially devastating, vaccine preventable diseases that we all need to know more about: meningococcal, pneumococcal, HPV, influenza and shingles. Get the latest advice and learn more from some of the best experts on infectious diseases in Australia.
Pneumococcal: Beyond pneumonia, it can cause meningitis, blood infection, and other serious complications. Let's shed light on this lesser-known disease.
HPV is highly prevalent, with over 80% of unvaccinated individuals being affected. While most cases clear within 24 months, it can lead to genital warts and various cancers.
Meningococcal disease is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis. It can develop quickly, and it can be fatal.
Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection affecting the respiratory tract, causing severe illness and life-threatening complications, transmitted through respiratory droplets.
Shingles (also called herpes zoster) is the disease caused when the chickenpox virus reactivates. Shingles can cause severe pain that can last for months.
Vaccination is a safe and effective way to protect you from serious disease caused by shingles.
In the midst of a pandemic, it was hard to focus anything other COVID-19. Diseases like the flu, that we see yearly, took a back seat. We meet Prof Christopher Blyth who sheds some perspective on valuable lessons learned from the pandemic and helps us understand why influenza is a big risk to every community, every year.
These two bacterial diseases are among the most dangerous in the world. That’s why our guest, Professor Robert Booy, has spent his career teaching us about meningococcal and pneumococcal. What are they, where do they come from and how can we protect ourselves and all our loved ones against them?
Australia’s National Immunisation Program (NIP) offers free vaccinations for those eligible. But when a disease starts to spread in the community state-based programs can often be the first on the ground to respond and make free vaccinations available. In the episode we meet Dr Rod Pearce and ask, what is the NIP, what vaccines are on listed, how do they get there and who’s ‘eligible’?
In this episode we hear the painful truth about Shingles, a condition that can last for a few weeks, but for some, symptoms can linger for years. What is shingles and what’s the link to chicken pox? Who is susceptible? Learn more about the signs and symptoms and navigate the best possible prevention with our expert, Dr Paul Van Buynder.
Our guest Professor Julia Brotherton speaks to us about human papillomavirus and tells us who is at risk and what are the longer-term consequences of infection in men and women. We explore the link between cervical cancer and other cancers and HPV infection and ask who should be vaccinated. We find out how this vaccine could change the global footprint of cancer in women.
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Health advocate, Steph O’Connell, MHC, A.Dip A.
Darkinjung country, NSW, Australia
LinkedIn: stephoconnell88 Twitter: @stephoc
Host Steph O'Connell is a public health advocate with 25 years’ experience in strategic communications. She became a public voice for vaccinations when her daughter, Lily (23), narrowly survived W strain of Meningococcal on Christmas Day, 2017. Nine months later her sister, Grace, donated a kidney that has since transformed Lily’s life.
Steph’s advocacy for immunisation awareness and vaccination became a collaboration in 2018 with Meningococcal Australia and resulted in Meningococcal vaccination campaigns by the Australian Government Department of Health and NSW Health. Lily’s story quickly resonated with audiences and became a national and international appeal for awareness, education and vaccination.
Steph’s work expanded during the pandemic and today she continues to advocate for improved access to vaccines, public education for lifelong vaccination behaviour and policy reform. MatterofVax, in collaboration with Immunisation Foundation of Australia takes a look at topical immunisation issues on video and podcast.
Matter of Vax is produced by Ampel, for Immunisation Foundation of Australia.
Matter Of Vax is supported through an unrestricted educational grant from GSK Australia.
