Council will be holding a special Japanese Encephalitis (JE) only vaccination session at Benalla Town Hall on Tuesday 22 November between 9am and 11am for members of the pubic who fall into the below eligibility groups:
People aged 2 months or older who live or routinely work in any of the following local government areas of Campaspe, Gannawarra, Greater Shepparton, Indigo, Loddon, Mildura, Moira, Swan Hill, Wodonga, Towong, Benalla, Wangaratta and Strathbogie AND:
Spend significant time outdoors (four hours per day), for unavoidable work, recreational, educational or other essential activities; OR
Living in temporary or flood damaged accommodation (e.g. camps, tents, dwellings exposed to the external environment) that place them at increased risk of exposure to mosquitoes; OR
Are engaged in the prolonged outdoor recovery efforts (clean up) of stagnant waters following floods.*
*Vaccination can be administered after arrival in flood affected areas to those from other regions deployed for prolonged recovery efforts.
The risk of exposure to mosquitoes is low at an elevation of greater than 500 metres. Therefore, JE vaccination is only recommended for individuals who spend significant time outdoors below this elevation in these LGAs.
The JE vaccination is now available free of charge to those in the above priorty groups.
To book an appointment for JE vaccination, please phone immunisation specialists at Wodonga City Council on 1800 355 360.
No restriction for people in local government areas:
Who work at, reside at, or have a planned non-deferable visit to a:
Who work directly with mosquitoes through their surveillance (field or laboratory based) or control and management, and indirectly through management of vertebrate mosquito-borne disease surveillance systems (e.g., sentinel animals) such as:
all diagnostic and research laboratory workers who may be exposed to the virus, such as persons working with JE virus cultures or mosquitoes with the potential to transmit JE virus; as per the Australian Immunisation Handbook.
Please note that anyone falling into the categories below need to contact the appointment number prior to the session as they may need an alternative vaccine brand or JE vaccination may not be recommended:
• Immunocompromised
• Pregnant women (*women should avoid pregnancy for 28 days after vaccination*)
• Breastfeeding women should not receive Imojev® because it is not known whether the virus is excreted in breast milk.
• People who have received immunoglobulin or blood product administration in the past 3 months.
• Anaphylaxis after a previous dose of any JE vaccine
• Anaphylaxis after any component of a JE vaccine
• People with an acute febrile illness.
