Stay Well this Winter

In Victoria, influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection numbers are high among young children in early childhood education and care services, or in their first few years of school. The Victorian Department of Health expects more infections over the next few weeks as winter continues.

Most children with flu or RSV have a mild fever, runny nose or cough. Some children, particularly babies and children with underlying medical conditions, may have more severe illness.

Keeping our community well

Parents, carers and children are encouraged to:

wash and sanitise their hands regularly
avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
cover their nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing
stay at home if unwell and consult a general practitioner (GP) or NURSE-ON-CALL as needed
stay up to date with flu and COVID-19 vaccinations.

Our service has masks for staff, students and visitors if they want to wear them.

Flu vaccinations

Vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your family from getting the flu. Annual flu vaccination is recommended for everyone aged 6 months and over. As part of the National Immunisation Program, it is free for:

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and older
children aged 6 months to under 5 years
people aged 6 months or older with underlying medical conditions.

Flu vaccinations can be booked through GPs, pharmacies or your local council immunisation service.

Find out more

For more information about staying safe this winter, refer to:

Stay well this winter on the Better Health Channel, translated into 16 languages.
Influenza and immunisation on the Better Health Channel
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) on the Better Health Channel
Getting vaccinated against influenza.

Thank you for helping us to all stay well this winter.

Useful Resources:

The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (RCH) is on Facebook and Instagram - they share lots of useful information.

Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rchmelbourne/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rchmelbourne?igsh=MTNqa2N1MHRsMjdjMg==

Protecting against mosquito-borne diseases

Some areas in regional northern Victoria are experiencing a longer mosquito season this year due to recent flooding. While the overall risk is currently low, some mosquitoes may be carrying diseases that make people sick.

The best protection against mosquito-borne illness is to avoid mosquito bites. The free Japanese encephalitis vaccine is also available for more Victorians. 

Free Japanese encephalitis vaccines

Japanese encephalitis virus is spread to humans through bites from infected mosquitoes. It can cause a rare but potentially serious infection of the brain.

The free Japanese encephalitis vaccine is available for:

people aged 2 months or older who live or work in eligible high-risk local government areas in Victoria
until Friday 31 July 2026, people who plan to visit high-risk areas in Victoria or interstate for outdoor recreation such as hiking, camping, caravaning or boating.

For more information:

refer to the Department of Health’s Japanese encephalitis webpage for a list of high-risk areas
speak to your GP or immunisation provider to check if your family is eligible for a free vaccine ahead of any planned travel during the coming months.

How to help prevent mosquito bites

To help protect against mosquito bites, families can: 

cover up as much as possible with long, loose-fitting, light-coloured clothing  
apply insect repellent that contains picaridin or DEET on exposed skin when outdoors 
limit outdoor activity if lots of mosquitoes are active
clean up and remove containers and items around the home that may hold water where mosquitoes may breed.

Families with any health concerns should see their doctor or phone Nurse-on-Call: 1300 606 024 (available 24 hours).

Find out more:

For more information on protecting against mosquito-borne diseases, families can refer to the following Better Health Channel pages:

Mosquitoes can carry diseases
Protect yourself from mosquito-borne disease, including a handy checklist to help reduce mosquito breeding sites at home and resources translated into other languages
Japanese encephalitis.

Catherine & Iness

School Nurse / First Aid Officer

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