MNCLHD

MNCLHD

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

Curious about the COVID-19 AstraZeneca vaccine? Get your information from reliable sources!

It's easy to get confused about what is fact and what is not when guidelines change and social media is going off about recent events regarding the vaccine rollout.

The most important thing to do when making your own informed decisions about this is to get information from authoritative reliable sources.

If you like to watch and or listen to information the NSW COVID-19 update available on YouTube is work a look. A video is helpful because you can go back and repeat any information that you might not understand completely. Dr. Ketaki Sharma explains in depth the thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome situation as the limited data allows. Basically it's a really rare condition. The age recommendation of 50 plus is because in younger groups being vaccinated in the UK the data on incidence shows while still rare is increasing. The panel of experts A/Prof Charlotte Hespe, A/Prof Penny Burns, Dr Kerry Chant, put questions to Dr Sharma, and ask for further clarification. 

                                       Source: University of Cambridge : Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication

Despite having a history of varicose veins and a prior blood clot, I'm comfortable getting this vaccine. There is no evidence that people who have had a past history of blood clots, have an increased risk of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS). Only people that have had TTS after the first dose should not have the second dose. There have been no cases reported after the second dose.

This information will allow health professionals to confidently vaccinate their patients and explain clearly to those who have questions. The important message is to also explain the risks associated with the disease being vaccinated against, which in most age groups outweigh the risks of the vaccination.

Friday, April 09, 2021

Australian Cancer Atlas update highlights geographical disparities

 A recent Hospital & Healthcare article discusses a recent update to the Australian Cancer Atlas, an interactive online resource helping researchers, members of the community, medical professionals and policymakers understand how Australia’s cancer burden varies across geographical areas.

The recent update means the resource now includes latest national data on how cancer diagnosis and excess death rates vary by geographical area across Australia. The Atlas enables users to easily visualise these variations, offering critical insight into how the patterns of cancer and outcomes in Australia vary depending on where people live, which can be used to drive research priorities and policies going forward. This gives health agencies and policymakers a better understanding of geographic disparities and health requirements across the country.

The Atlas is a collaborative project between Cancer Council Queensland and the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

Read the full Hospital & Healthcare article here and view the Atlas here.
                                                             image source: atlas.cancer.org.au