INFLUENZA H1N1 (SWINE 'FLU) 

This website is updated regularly. It provides community information about Influenza H1N1 (swine 'flu) relating to schools and parents of students in public schools, TAFE colleges, and staff of the Department of Education and Training.

Current advice

Rollout of the human swine flu vaccine (PANVAX) in Western Australia. 

The vaccine will be available to all Western Australians 10 years of age and over from Wednesday 30 September 2009. It is hoped that the vaccine will become available to children aged between 6 months and 9 years of age later in the year, once appropriate information on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in younger children is available.

See below for the Minister’s media statement on 24 September 2009.

Vaccination is voluntary, but everyone is encouraged to get vaccinated.

People at increased risk of severe illness from influenza and people who care for the sick are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated. These people include:

• front line health care and community care workers who have direct contact with patients
• people with underlying chronic medical conditions such as asthma, cancers, HIV, heart disease, diabetes, and chronic kidney failure
• people who are obese with a BMI over 35
• Indigenous people, and remote and isolated communities with Indigenous people
• children in special schools aged 10 and above
• pregnant women
• parents and guardians of children aged 0 to 6 months

The vaccine will be available at GP clinics and Aboriginal Medical Services across the state, and Community Health clinics in rural and remote areas. The Department of Health will also run a number of community vaccination clinics in the metropolitan area.

For more information about the vaccination program, including details of the community clinics in the metropolitan area, please see the WA Department of Health’s human swine flu website.

For the latest national information about Pandemic (H1N1) 2009, monitor the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing website.

People with flu-like illnesses who need medical advice should telephone their doctor or healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222.

For more information on swine flu visit the Department of Health website www.health.wa.gov.au or call the national swine flu hotline on 180 2007.
 

School closures or partial closures

No longer applicable.

Information to schools

Information sheet No. 8 (18 August 2009)
Information sheet No. 7 (5 August 2009)
Information sheet No. 6 (18 June 2009)
Information sheet No. 5 (7 June 2009)
Information sheet No. 4 (5 June 2009)
Information sheet No. 3 (29 May 2009)
Information sheet No. 2 (no longer applicable)
Information sheet No. 1 (no longer applicable)

Letter to principals (Department of Health, 17 June 2009)

Questions and answers (Issued by Department of Health, 17 June 2009)

 

Information for parents

Newsletter item (18 June 2009)
 

Information to TAFE colleges

New pandemic phase: PROTECT (18 June 2009)
 

Factsheets

Workplace FAQs (24 August 2009)
Poster 1 
Poster 2
Advice from the Department of Health on hand washing and good hygiene.
General information from the Department of Health about Human Swine Flu.

Media statements

Minister for Health (23 September 2009)

 

Contacts

For further information about swine 'flu generally (for parents, schools and TAFE colleges):
T: 180 2007 (Commonwealth Health Hotline for H1N1 09)
W: WA Department of Health
For the list of countries of concern (for parents, schools and TAFE colleges):
W: Australia Department of Health and Ageing