Updates to the Handbook

Updates to reflect new recommendations for RSV vaccines, Abrysvo and Arexvy. 

Updates to reflect availability of the mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS. Updates to include recommendations for use of JYNNEOS in specific populations, including travellers in risk groups. 

Updates to reflect availability of the mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS. Updates to include recommendation for use of JYNNEOS in men who have sex with men and sex workers who are at risk of mpox exposure. 

Updates to reflect availability of the mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS. Updates to include recommendations for use of JYNNEOS in people working in specific occupations, such as healthcare or laboratory work, who are at risk of mpox exposure. 

Updates to include new recommendations for RSV vaccines, Abrysvo and Arexvy, in people who are immunocompromised, people with cancer, solid organ transplant recipients, Haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, people with HIV and people with functional or anatomical asplenia.

Updates to reflect availability of the live-attenuated, replicant-deficient vaccine mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS. Updates to include recommendations for use in immunocompromised people. Updates throughout the chapter to reflect the availability of Prevenar 20 (20vPCV) in infants and children from 6 weeks of age. Updates to reflect rare risk of GBS following Shingrix.

Updates to reflect the new recommendation for long-acting RSV monoclonal antibodies for preterm infants.

Updates to reflect the availability of Prevenar 20 (20vPCV) in infants and children from 6 weeks of age.

Updates to reflect new recommendations for RSV vaccine Abrysvo in pregnant women. 

Updates to reflect the availability of the mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS. Updates to include detail on JYNNEOS use in pregnancy, if indicated, as post-exposure preventive vaccination.  

Updates throughout the chapter to remove references to Comirnaty Original 5 < 12 years formulation which is no longer available; and to add information on Comirnaty XBB.1.5 6 months to < 5 years formulation. Minor factual updates in relation to individual product shelf life and registration for use as a booster vaccine have been made to align with updated production information. Minor updates made to reflect current SARS-CoV-2 circulating variants.

Addition of information for some vaccines to catch-up resource tables. Addition of meningococcal vaccine catch-up tables. Updates to Hib catch-up table for improved clarity and correct typographical errors. Updates to catch-up resource tables and within text to provided guidance on higher valency pneumococcal vaccines.

Editorial updates to improve the clarity of information for NIP funding for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Addition of new evidence and references around immune blunting following maternal vaccination. Addition of information in the epidemiology section regarding risk of future pertussis outbreaks despite the low notification rates in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Editorial updates to improve the clarity of information for 2-visit schedule doses. 

Editorial updates to clarify that varicella vaccine should be recommended for adolescents aged ≥14 years and adult who are non-immune. 

New RSV chapter has been developed to provide information on recommendations for use of RSV immunisation products.

Recommendations include use of RSV vaccines in adults and pregnant women and use of long-acting RSV monoclonal antibodies in infants and young children.
 

Updates throughout the chapter including:

• new recommendations for further doses of COVID-19 vaccine every 6 months for adults aged ≥75 years, every 12 months and consider every 6 months for adults aged 65–74 years, and consider every 12 months for adults aged 18–64 years; people aged ≥6 months with severe immunocompromise are recommended further doses every 12 months and can consider a dose every 6 months
• new recommendations for 1 primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine for adults aged ≥18 years; 2 primary doses with consideration of a 3rd for people aged >6 months with severe immunocompromise; a single primary dose can be considered for children aged 5 to <18 years with other medical conditions that may increase the risk of severe COVID-19
• a table of severely immunocompromising conditions and treatments
• a simplified table of other conditions for which COVID-19 vaccines can be considered

Updates include:

• Updates throughout the chapter with wording changed from the "standard vaccine" to "standard-dose egg-based" and "standard-dose cell-based" vaccine to differentiate between egg-based and cell-based standard-dose influenza vaccines. 
• Addition of a new table replacing the list of specified medical conditions associated with increased risk of influenza disease and severe outcomes. 
• Updates to recommendations for co-administration with examples including the new RSV vaccines.

Update to reflect the availability of purified Vero cell rabies vaccine (Verorab) as an intramuscular injection and the reclassification of human diploid cell vaccine for rabies as a vaccine to be administered by the intramuscular route only.

Updates throughout the chapter to reflect the availability of Vaxchora oral live attenuated cholera vaccine.

Updates throughout the page to reflect the availability of Verorab rabies vaccine and Vaxchora cholera vaccine.

Changes to the clinical guidance around pre-exposure prophylaxis schedules, with the inclusion of a 2-dose option. Updates throughout the chapter to reflect the availability of Verorab vaccine.

Updates throughout the page to reflect the availability of Vaxchora oral cholera vaccine and Verorab rabies vaccine.