Workshops are being held on Monday 20 and Wednesday 22 June. The workshop information will continue to update as information is confirmed.

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Reform or refute: Should Australia’s vaccine policies evolve post-COVID?

 

Date: Monday 20 June 2022

Start Time: 11:00am

Finish Time: 12:30pm

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Hosted by: Medicines Australia, Sanofi, GSK, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, MSD, J&J, Seqirus & Biointelect

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Facilitated by: Leigh Sales AM

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Panelists consist of:

• A/Prof. Nigel Crawford

• Jennifer Herz

• Dr. Brendan Shaw

• Dr. Rod Pearce

 

Overview

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the value of vaccines to Australians, and the importance of public health to our economic prosperity. In relation to this point, Shawview Consulting have released a White Paper entitled Valuing Vaccines: Ensuring Australia’s access to vaccines today and tomorrow. This report is an important step in encouraging dialogue and reflection about Australia’s vaccination policies and processes. The report proposes a four-point plan to enhance vaccine funding policies and ensure all Australians access innovative and best-in-class vaccines, now and in the future.

This symposium (panel discussion) provides a unique opportunity for government, industry, healthcare professionals and policy makers to engage on the 4 point plan recommendations:

• Develop a long term strategic plan

• Reform Australia's vaccine health technology assessment methodology

• Reform procurement processes for NIP vaccines

• Create a framework to develop a pandemic vaccination plan

 

Target Audience: Health policy makers, vaccine program makers, Government representatives, NGO/community and advocacy organisations; healthcare professionals

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Learning Outcomes:

1. Identify key policy learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic

2. Understand challenges and barriers to current vaccine reimbursement system

3. Understand needs of future pipeline - is our system fit for purpose?

 

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Enhancing communication and engagement with multicultural communities

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Date: Monday 20 June 2022

Start Time: 11:00am

Finish Time: 12:30pm

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Hosted by: A/Prof Holly Seale

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Overview

To support behaviour change including the acceptance of the COVID-19 vaccine, community members need to understand and process the public health messages coming out about COVID-19 and then be able to action them. The challenge is that the information provided about the COVID-19 vaccines and other pandemic strategies have not always met the needs of the target communities. Feedback has centred on issues with the: (1) quality of the original English-language materials used in the government messages used for translation; (2) quality of translations, especially in the ‘new and emerging’ languages and (3) strategies used to communicate to communities with low literacy levels.

 

During this symposium we will reflect on these issues and others identified during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding approaches used to communicate and engage with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and to explore strategies and tools to enhance communication efforts during emergency and non-emergency periods.

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Target Audience: Healthcare and immunisation professionals, those working across all levels of government, academics, industry

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Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the symposium, participants will

1. Be able to identify the key issues impacting on communication and engagement efforts with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds during the COVID pandemic

2. Understand the best practice principles around translation, working with interpreters and partnering with community members

3. Be exposed to new tools and systems available to support communication efforts

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Utility of genomics for COVID-19 and future applications to public health

 

Part 1

Date: Monday 20 June 2022

Start Time: 11:00am

Finish Time: 12:30pm

 

Part 2

Date: Wednesday 22 June 2022

Start Time: 11:00am

Finish Time: 12:30pm

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Hosted by: Communicable Diseases Genomics Network

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Overview

The Communicable Diseases Genomics Network (CDGN) is an Expert Reference Panel of the Public Health Laboratory Network (PHLN), established to advance public health in Australia and New Zealand through the implementation of microbial genomics to support communicable disease control activities. Currently, the CDGN is supporting implementation of genomics for public health across Australia with the Australian Government Department of Health and the Medical Research Future Fund Pathogen Genomics grant.

 

This symposium will occur in two parts over the conference, where the first part aims to focus on the utility and learnings from COVID-19 genomic surveillances in Australia, and the second part aims to explore the changing landscape and future of microbial genomics for public health.

 

The Symposium will cover the following themes:

- Progress and challenges of implementation of pathogen genomics for public health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic  (Part 1)

- Contribution and value of genomic data to disease surveillance and response throughout the COVID-19 pandemic (Part 1)

- Future advancements and application of microbial genomics for other diseases of public health significance (Part2)

- Platforms and tools that support the implementation of public health microbial genomics  (Part2)

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Target Audience: Public health practitioners, Communicable diseases professionals, Scientists, Microbiologists, Epidemiologists, Bioinformaticians, Infectious Disease specialists

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Lessons from the field for a pandemic vaccine rollout: implementation, communication, and policy learnings from Australia

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Date: Wednesday 22 June 2022

Start Time: 11:00am

Finish Time: 12:30pm

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Hosted by: A/Prof Katie Attwell and A/Prof Margie Danchin on behalf of COSS

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Overview

The Symposium consists of two separate 45 minute panels with moderated Q&A by a single expert host, and including audience participation. Each Panel will have four members. 

Panel 1 focuses on implementation challenges that occurred between between Commonwealth and state government led processes. It examines how governments and researchers have collaborated to overcome vaccine access and acceptance barriers, and explores the use and impact of vaccine mandates in various states to improve coverage.

Panel 2 focuses on learnings from the field used to reach high-risk groups and diverse communities, with insights from immunisation workforces and researchers who have worked with different CALD communities, disability groups and Aboriginal communities. It takes a strengths-based approach to highlight and learn from the extraordinary work done on the ground in each state and build capacity for the future.

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Target Audience: Researchers, policymakers, practitioners

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Learning Outcomes:

1. An understanding of Commonwealth and State roles and cooperation for the COVID-19 vaccination program.

2. Best practice lessons regarding tackling access and acceptance barriers for optimal vaccine uptake.

3. How to use a strength based approach to develop tailored outreach and communication strategies for high risk groups and diverse communities.

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Intra/after-action reviews of the pandemic - local and international progress

Date: Wednesday 22 June 2022

Start Time: 11:00am

Finish Time: 12:30pm

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Hosted by: Craig Dalton

Chair: Martyn Kirk

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Overview

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Join a panel of state and local public health colleagues who have conducted or are at an advanced stage of planning intra/after-action reviews of our pandemic response. Garner insights into the different methods, challenges, scope of reviews, facilitation processes and perhaps join a community of practice to collaborate on after-action reviews in the future.

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Many countries have conducted WHO recommended intra-action reviews of the pandemic. The symposium will provide an update on intra-action reviews of the COVID-19 response from a WHO perspective internationally and from local, state and national reviews in Australia. Groups that are well advanced in their review process will share their methods and learnings at the symposium and there will be opportunities build a national collaboration and community of practice.  Additionally, a "living" intra-action review will be conducted before and during the CDCI conference through an online portal so that attendees can gain insights into the process and enrich their experience of the symposium. Data gathered through the online portal will be presented back to the symposium. WHO review tools, review facilitation methods, databases for collating  recommendations will all be discussed.