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Research

Influenza immunisation is a highly cost-effective public health intervention. Despite a comprehensive National Immunisation Program, influenza vaccination in children and adolescents with special risk medical conditions (SRMCs) is suboptimal. Flutext-4U is an innovative, multi-component strategy targeting paediatric hospitals, general practice and parents of children and adolescents with SRMC.

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This report summarises the epidemiology of hospitalisations with laboratory-confirmed influenza during the 2019 influenza season. The Influenza Complications Alert Network (FluCAN) is a sentinel hospital-based surveillance program that operates at sites in all jurisdictions in Australia.

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Influenza vaccination is recommended to protect mothers and their infants from influenza infection. Few studies have evaluated the health impacts of in utero exposure to influenza vaccine among children more than six months of age.

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Bhutan has reported a total of 2596 COVID-19 cases and three deaths as of September 15, 2021. With support from India, the United States, Denmark, the People’s Republic of China, Croatia and other countries, Bhutan was able to conduct two rounds of nationwide vaccination campaign.

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Atopic diseases are the most common chronic conditions of childhood. The apparent rise in food anaphylaxis in young children over the past three decades is of particular concern, owing to the lack of proven prevention strategies other than the timely introduction of peanut and egg.

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Public health measures targeting coronavirus disease 2019 have potential to impact transmission of other respiratory viruses. We found 98.0% and 99.4% reductions in respiratory syncytial virus and influenza detections, respectively, in Western Australian children through winter 2020 despite schools reopening. Border closures have likely been important in limiting external introductions.

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This article outlines the potential impacts of the AstraZeneca vaccine safety concerns. It considers the relevant heuristics and values affecting patient decision making and proposes some practical strategies for effective communication by clinicians and governments. The recommendations have been collaboratively developed by members of the Collaboration on Social Science and Immunisation (COSSI) steering group.

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To identify barriers to influenza vaccination of children hospitalised for acute respiratory illness in Australia. A total of 595 parents of children hospitalised with acute respiratory illness across five tertiary hospitals in 2019 participated in an online survey. Multivariate logistic regression identified factors most strongly associated with influenza vaccination barriers. 

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Over the past decade, multiple initiatives have been implemented to strengthen influenza vaccination programs in Australia, with an increasing focus on children. In this article, we review these changes, the events that prompted them, and how they have influenced influenza vaccine uptake in Australia.

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Environmental chemical contamination is a recognised risk factor for psychological distress, but has been seldom studied in the context of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. We examined psychological distress in a cross-sectional study of three Australian communities exposed to PFAS from the historical use of aqueous film-forming foam in firefighting activities, and three comparison communities without environmental contamination.