1 00:00:00,040 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: But we know that the government made the meninger cockle 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:06,800 Speaker 1: bee vaccines free for infants as well as adolescents at 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: the start of the year, protecting kids from a devastating 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:14,720 Speaker 1: disease and saving families hundreds of dollars on immunization. It 5 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:18,040 Speaker 1: is available to babies age six weeks to two years 6 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 1: and adolescents age fourteen to nineteen years. Now joining me 7 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:27,639 Speaker 1: on the line is the CEO of the Meningitis Center 8 00:00:27,680 --> 00:00:29,320 Speaker 1: of Australia, Karen Quick. 9 00:00:29,400 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 2: Good morning, Karen, Good morning, Katie. How are you yeah? 10 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,760 Speaker 1: Really good, lovely to have you on the show. Karen, 11 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,000 Speaker 1: how is the vaccine roll out going? 12 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:43,400 Speaker 2: It's going really well, but we need to get everybody 13 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 2: to get their kids vaccinated. It's so important to protect 14 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:48,720 Speaker 2: them from this dreadful disease. 15 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:53,200 Speaker 1: So talk me through in terms of the numbers, how 16 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: many territorians have taken it up so far. 17 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:00,520 Speaker 2: I don't actually have those numbers on me, but I 18 00:01:00,640 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 2: believe the rates are quite high. And it's exciting to 19 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:08,760 Speaker 2: see because this is only happening in three states in 20 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 2: Australia and the Northern Territory of leaders in this and 21 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:19,280 Speaker 2: it's visionary and to see that the parents who really 22 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 2: wanted this and couldn't afford it and now have access 23 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:22,399 Speaker 2: to it. 24 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:25,320 Speaker 1: Now I understand that it is now available as well 25 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: to year nine students. What's the process there? 26 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 2: So it has now been rolled out for our year 27 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,920 Speaker 2: nine students. They will have a consent form sent home 28 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 2: to them for parents to sign and then they'll just 29 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:42,920 Speaker 2: have it with all their other normal school vaccinations that 30 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 2: they have. It's free and it's easy. But the really 31 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 2: important thing is if your child misses it at school, 32 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 2: you can also get a catch up vaccination and it's 33 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 2: as simple as going to your GP, your pharmacy, or 34 00:01:55,880 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: your community health center or immunization center and they'll do 35 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:02,640 Speaker 2: it there and on the spot for you. 36 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: Now tell me, I mean, I think for some people 37 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: listening they will definitely know how serious Manager Cocklebee is, 38 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: but just remind those who maybe don't. 39 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 2: It's a devastating disease. One in ten that contract this 40 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 2: disease will die, and one in four will end up 41 00:02:21,680 --> 00:02:24,280 Speaker 2: with a permanent disability, and that can be anything from 42 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 2: loss of limbs, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, loss of hearing. The 43 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,440 Speaker 2: list goes on and on, but for all of them 44 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: there's the psychological trauma that lasts a lifetime. We have 45 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 2: people that had happened to them forty years ago and 46 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 2: there are still things that trigger them. There are still 47 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 2: things that make their lives really difficult because of this disease. 48 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:53,640 Speaker 2: So it's not something you know, people say it's rare, 49 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 2: but it's rare until it happens to you exactly. And 50 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 2: it's just so important to be in practice, to be pretend, 51 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,679 Speaker 2: and to know the signs and symptoms so you can 52 00:03:04,880 --> 00:03:09,320 Speaker 2: act immediately. If you're suspecting ninja cockle, go straight to 53 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 2: the hospital or GP and ask the question called it 54 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:15,280 Speaker 2: being a ninja cockle, You've got to trust it in thincts. 55 00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: As a parent, can you tell us what some of 56 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,079 Speaker 1: those signs and symptoms are really for parents to look 57 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: out for, because I know when your kid's a little 58 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 1: you know, you worry so much about them, to be 59 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 1: honest and about everything, really. 60 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:32,960 Speaker 2: Yep, you do. And the thing is is it camouflages 61 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: itself as a virus, so it's things like headaches, stiff neck, 62 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 2: you know, sore eyes, to light temperature, vomiting, difficulty breeding. 63 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 2: And then there's the rash that everybody knows about that 64 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: comes out. 65 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 1: We seem to have lost your Karen, can you hear us? 66 00:03:58,320 --> 00:04:00,400 Speaker 1: Oh we've got you again, Karent. 67 00:04:01,720 --> 00:04:04,960 Speaker 2: I don't know what happened here. Yeah, I'm just saying 68 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 2: your rash is often the last thing to appear, or 69 00:04:07,840 --> 00:04:11,160 Speaker 2: may not appear at all. The really key thing about 70 00:04:11,160 --> 00:04:15,000 Speaker 2: this disease is it just every twenty minutes it keeps 71 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:17,960 Speaker 2: getting worse. So if your child just continues going down 72 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: a hill, go and get them checked out straight away. 73 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: Yeah. Look, I think that that is incredibly good advice. Now, 74 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 1: in terms of where parents can go to get their 75 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,919 Speaker 1: children vaccinated, I know you said with the year nine students, 76 00:04:31,920 --> 00:04:35,040 Speaker 1: it sort of happens through school. If you're the parent 77 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 1: of a little eat what can you do? 78 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,920 Speaker 2: So if you've got a baby, either through your child 79 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 2: health clinic, your pharmacy, your GP, or your community health center. 80 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: Once again, it's not difficult to do. You just give 81 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 2: them a call, make an appointment, or just walk in 82 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,239 Speaker 2: and say I need to get this done and they'll 83 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:58,040 Speaker 2: do it for you then and there on the spot. 84 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:01,719 Speaker 2: It's a free vaccine now thanks to the government bringing 85 00:05:01,720 --> 00:05:02,320 Speaker 2: it on board. 86 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: Well, Karen quick it is always great to catch up 87 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: with you. Thank you so very much for your 88 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 2: Time, appreciate that we soon Bye.