Japanese Encephalitis Virus vaccine eligibility expanded
Queensland Health's Immunisation Unit has expanded the criteria for patients eligible for the Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) vaccine.
In addition to those already eligible, JEV vaccination is now recommended and funded for people who:
- Live, work or have a planned visit to Hemmant in Brisbane, and are at risk of mosquito bites.
Those already eligible include:
- people who live or work in, or have a planned visit to, the local government areas listed below and who are at risk of mosquito bites:
| Aurukun | Balonne | Burke |
| Carpentaria | Cherbourg | Cook |
| Doomadgee | Goondiwindi | Hope Vale |
| Kowanyama |
Lockhart River |
Lockyer Valley |
| Mapoon | Mornington | Napranum |
| North Burnett | Northern Peninsula Area | Pormpuraaw |
| Quilpie | South Burnett | Southern Downs |
| Southwest area of Toowoomba Regional Council (surrounding and including Millmerran) | Torres Strait | Weipa Town |
| Western Downs | Wujal Wujal |
- people who work at, live near or have a planned visit to:
- a piggery, including, but not limited to, farm workers and their families (including children aged 2 months and older) living at the piggery, transport workers, veterinarians, students and others involved in the care of pigs
- a pork abattoir or pork rendering plant
- pig doggers and hunters
- personnel who work directly with mosquitoes through their surveillance (field or laboratory based) or control and management such as:
- environmental health officers and workers (urban and remote)
- entomologists
- diagnostic and research laboratory workers who may be exposed to the virus
There is a limited supply of JEV vaccines worldwide. Eligibility for funded vaccine will continue to be expanded to those at greatest risk of JEV as required.
Actions required
- Consider becoming a JEV vaccination provider if you are not already offering this service. Note, in agreeing to offer JEV vaccination, your clinic details will be listed on the Queensland Health JEV vaccination centre finder map.
- Review the full list of eligible individuals and LGAs on the Queensland JEV website
- Update your screening procedures to identify eligible patients.
- Note eligibility for funded vaccine will be expanded to those at highest risk of JEV as required. The Queensland Health Immunisation Program will issue updates to providers and other stakeholders in line with eligibility expansions.
Additional Resources:
- Detailed JEV vaccine information: Australian Immunisation Handbook
- For full eligibility criteria: Queensland Health Japanese Encephalitis conditions website
- To locate nearby vaccination centres: Queensland Health JEV vaccination centre finder map
We appreciate your continued support. If you have any questions or need further clarification, please don't hesitate to contact us via email to immunisation@health.qld.gov.au