1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:05,119 Speaker 1: Professor Helen Marshall. Good morning to you, Helen, Good morning Katie, 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for your time this morning. Why has 3 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: the program been extended in the Northern Territory. 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: Oh, we certainly want to offer fourteen to nineteen year 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:21,120 Speaker 2: olds the opportunity to be protect against meninga coocklebee disease. 6 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,920 Speaker 2: And obviously the project provides the vaccine free. It's normally 7 00:00:25,400 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 2: about one hundred and thirty one hundred and forty dollars 8 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 2: a dose if you buy it the private market through 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 2: getting a script from the GP, but the study offers 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 2: the vaccine free and we're really keen to have many 11 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 2: fourteen to nineteen year old take advantage of that. Certainly, 12 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 2: COVID has you know, interrupted the program a bit, but 13 00:00:48,400 --> 00:00:50,520 Speaker 2: now that we're sort of getting back to business as usual, 14 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:52,519 Speaker 2: we hope it's much easier for people to take up 15 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:53,240 Speaker 2: that opportunity. 16 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 1: Now. Obviously, the program has been running since twenty twenty one, 17 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: so I'm assuming for around a year it has been. 18 00:01:01,600 --> 00:01:04,680 Speaker 1: From all accounts, has it been taken up quite well? 19 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,160 Speaker 1: Have we had quite a few people, you know getting 20 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:11,279 Speaker 1: their vaccine for manager cocklebe. 21 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:14,000 Speaker 2: Well, we've had about about twenty twenty two to twenty 22 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:18,480 Speaker 2: three percent of year ten eleven and twelve students taking 23 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,640 Speaker 2: up the vaccine in schools. Obviously we'd like that to 24 00:01:21,720 --> 00:01:25,319 Speaker 2: be higher because you know, the opportunity will cease by 25 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:27,040 Speaker 2: the end of the year and then of course people 26 00:01:27,080 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 2: have to pay the vaccine. And what we're seeing around 27 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 2: the country is mini coocklebe appearing again. As I'm sure 28 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: you know many of the listeners know, many diseases sort 29 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 2: of went away a bit during COVID, but B is 30 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 2: on the rise again. So there's been cases in Queensland. 31 00:01:48,880 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 2: We've certainly had a case here, a thirteen year old 32 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: with B disease here, So yeah, right, it's not surprising. 33 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:59,840 Speaker 2: It's not surprising because the mini cockle minion cockle disease 34 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:05,320 Speaker 2: or the bacteria tends to follow influenza and we're seeing 35 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 2: quite a big and severe influenza these and happening, so 36 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 2: we're going to see more cases of bees. So that's 37 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,399 Speaker 2: so important that people get vaccinated well. 38 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: And Helen, I know that there will be people listening 39 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,239 Speaker 1: this morning who maybe don't know exactly what menainger cockle 40 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: bee is. I know that on this show a couple 41 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:28,480 Speaker 1: of years back. We've spoken at lengths about the menager cockle, 42 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 1: about menainger cockle and the terrible, terrible impact that it 43 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: can have. I spoke to a beautiful Territory mum who 44 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: lost her little girl, Skyler, after she'd had menager cockle. 45 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: So it's something that we've spoken a lot about on 46 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 1: the show. But for those out there listening who maybe 47 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 1: don't have a real understanding of what menager cockle bee is, 48 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:50,679 Speaker 1: talk us through it. 49 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, sure, Look at it's a devastating infection. It's a 50 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,800 Speaker 2: severe infection, and it's a bacteria. So it's caused by 51 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 2: a bacteria, and this bacteria actually likes to sit at 52 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 2: the back of the throat and at about one in 53 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:09,079 Speaker 2: ten young people, the bacteria sits there and doesn't really 54 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:14,400 Speaker 2: cause the problems, but for some reason, for say example, 55 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:17,040 Speaker 2: maybe you have a cold and you can imagine in 56 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: your throat you get inflammation and you get some damage 57 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,080 Speaker 2: to the tissue there. The bacteria can actually invade into 58 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,960 Speaker 2: the blood stream and it can cause meningitis or it 59 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 2: can cause blood poisoning or sepsis. And the problem is, 60 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:37,120 Speaker 2: even if you diagnose it quickly and you get antibiotics 61 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: on board quickly. There's still quite a high case, they 62 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:44,280 Speaker 2: tell you rate, so that means that about one in 63 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,800 Speaker 2: ten children will still die from this infection. And not 64 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: only that. If a child then survives infection, there are 65 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 2: a number of complications, so they can be blind, they 66 00:03:55,360 --> 00:04:01,000 Speaker 2: can be deaf, And what we see sometimes is because 67 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: of the complications, children need to have limbs or partial 68 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 2: limb amputations, because of death of the tissue, because of 69 00:04:10,800 --> 00:04:13,960 Speaker 2: the complications of that bacterial infection. And we know in 70 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 2: South Australia we actually have a funded programer government funds 71 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: up the program here because just as you've described, we 72 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:26,360 Speaker 2: had some terrible situations with toddler's dying from the infection 73 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 2: and some of them having multiple limb amputations, which means, 74 00:04:30,839 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 2: you know, the challenge is going through that sort of disability. 75 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: Well, and I know after I had interviewed, you know, 76 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: the mum who'd lost her a little one, I took 77 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:45,760 Speaker 1: my children straight out and went and got them vaccinated 78 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: against beningjer coppa Bay. I know that there are a 79 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: lot of there are a lot of families who are 80 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:52,919 Speaker 1: in a similar situation. But the fact is it is 81 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:57,320 Speaker 1: a very expensive vaccination to go and do out of 82 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:00,560 Speaker 1: your own pocket. So this program really is a great 83 00:05:00,680 --> 00:05:02,360 Speaker 1: thing for the Northern territory. 84 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,320 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Yeah, Helen. 85 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:08,320 Speaker 1: What have you learned so far from the program and 86 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,159 Speaker 1: and you know what learnings have been made that will 87 00:05:11,160 --> 00:05:13,280 Speaker 1: hopefully help us in this space. 88 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, we look, we already know we've been looking at 89 00:05:18,839 --> 00:05:20,960 Speaker 2: the young people in the study whether they're actually carrying 90 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 2: the bacteria and we know that again about one in 91 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: ten a carrying the bacteria. So you know, again so 92 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 2: important to you know, to have the vaccine to protect 93 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 2: young people against the infection. We know that the government, 94 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:37,720 Speaker 2: the comm of government do fund the vaccine for aboriginal 95 00:05:39,080 --> 00:05:42,719 Speaker 2: infants as well because of their higher risk of minniacockle 96 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:46,520 Speaker 2: be disease. What we're wanting to learn through this is, 97 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,120 Speaker 2: through this study is to look at the impact of 98 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,800 Speaker 2: the minionkockle bee vaccine when you're vaccinating young people that 99 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:57,040 Speaker 2: they're protected against the disease. That we're also looking at 100 00:05:57,120 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: those rates of people carrying it in the throat, and 101 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 2: we're also looking at this really interesting cross protection that's 102 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:08,160 Speaker 2: been shown in other countries around Gonerreea. So it may 103 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 2: be that you're not only protect against nikocle bee disease, 104 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:16,280 Speaker 2: but also partially protect against gonoia because the bacteria are 105 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 2: so closely genetically linked. And so that's our other interesting question. 106 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,920 Speaker 2: They're really just looking at over time, after we've finished 107 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 2: the study, we'll be looking at how rates of mini 108 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,760 Speaker 2: cocle disease and gonorrhea change in the Northern territory. 109 00:06:29,960 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: All right, So at this point in time, if people 110 00:06:32,080 --> 00:06:35,479 Speaker 1: do still want to be part of this study and 111 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: part of you know, a part of what has been extended, 112 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: they're still able to do so, are they They can 113 00:06:40,480 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 1: register to be part of it. 114 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:46,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's right, absolutely, And so with the access to 115 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 2: the vaccine is very much through the schools. So we 116 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,880 Speaker 2: have a group of great group of nursers team up 117 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:55,680 Speaker 2: there that can go out to the schools and have 118 00:06:55,720 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 2: been going out to the schools, particularly ten, eleven and twelve, 119 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 2: so the scene schools, but we're also now going to 120 00:07:02,960 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 2: extend to middle schools. So please contact with school just 121 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:09,679 Speaker 2: to make sure that they are part of the study, 122 00:07:09,720 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 2: and if they're not, please just ask the question why, 123 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 2: and we can certainly link our team in with the school. 124 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 2: But also out in remote communities, we're really hoping that 125 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 2: our nurses can get out to as many of the 126 00:07:23,360 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 2: remote communities as well, just to make sure that we've 127 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:29,239 Speaker 2: got really good equity and that every fourteen to nineteen 128 00:07:29,320 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 2: year old has the opportunity to be protected against minniacockle 129 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 2: bee disease. 130 00:07:34,000 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 1: Now, once you've had that vaccine, is it something that 131 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:40,160 Speaker 1: you just have once? Do you need to have it again? Yeah? 132 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 2: Good question. Is it two doses? So two doses two 133 00:07:42,800 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 2: months apart. And because we're giving it at that age, 134 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: the fourteen to nineteen year age group, when the rates 135 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 2: are highest in that in the teenage years, that should 136 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 2: provide enough protection through that high risk period which is 137 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: not a fifteen to nineteen and then up to twenty four, 138 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 2: So we don't expect you would need to have another 139 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 2: dose after that. 140 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: And professor, why is that you know that we do 141 00:08:08,080 --> 00:08:10,560 Speaker 1: the vaccine at that age and not when the kids 142 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: are quite young. 143 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, really good question. So the incidence is actually 144 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 2: highest in babies in infants at the moment, the vaccine, 145 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 2: as I mentioned, is provided for aboriginal infants at that 146 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: age because they have a six times higher risk than 147 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 2: non indigenous babies. And then adolescence is another high risk period. 148 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:39,520 Speaker 2: And so particularly where we're interested in protecting against both 149 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:43,240 Speaker 2: meninger coocklebee disease and also going to be at this 150 00:08:43,280 --> 00:08:46,400 Speaker 2: fifteen to nineteen year age group is the age group 151 00:08:46,440 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 2: where o'veously chosen the study. 152 00:08:49,800 --> 00:08:51,760 Speaker 1: I've no doubt that I will have some parents who 153 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:54,199 Speaker 1: are listening this morning thinking, you know, I've got children 154 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,320 Speaker 1: who are under the age of five or whatever age, 155 00:08:57,320 --> 00:08:59,959 Speaker 1: and they're wondering whether they need to get their children 156 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: vaccinated against Meninginger cocklebay. Yeah. 157 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:07,040 Speaker 2: Look, I would be encouraging people to. As I said, 158 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 2: I think we've got a flu, a nasty flu season 159 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 2: that's already started and ahead of us, and I wouldn't hesitate. 160 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 2: I just like you as soon as the vaccine was available. Privately, 161 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 2: I have my three children vaccinated. They were more in 162 00:09:22,320 --> 00:09:26,240 Speaker 2: that adolescent age group. But you know, I think I 163 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,959 Speaker 2: think it's important. I think if we've got a disease 164 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: that's this severe, then absolutely do what you can to 165 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:39,640 Speaker 2: have your infant or your young toddler or your teenage vaccinated. 166 00:09:39,640 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 2: And obviously through the study, we can provide the vaccine 167 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 2: free to the teenagers. 168 00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:46,160 Speaker 1: Do you think that it is something that we should 169 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 1: be looking at expanding like has happened in South Australia, 170 00:09:49,160 --> 00:09:53,000 Speaker 1: where you know, maybe younger children as well are able 171 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:54,719 Speaker 1: to get it for free. 172 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:56,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, look I think. I mean, what we've shown in 173 00:09:56,880 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 2: South Australia is that the vaccine is highly effective both 174 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:04,520 Speaker 2: infants and adolescents. It's about ninety six percent effective for 175 00:10:04,880 --> 00:10:10,240 Speaker 2: infants and one hundred percent effective for adolescents. So, you know, 176 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:16,400 Speaker 2: with that very high effectiveness protection against disease, you know, 177 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,240 Speaker 2: ideally we would have a program across. 178 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: Australia well, Project lead Professor Helen Marshall. We really appreciate 179 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 1: your time this morning. Thanks so much for having a 180 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:29,319 Speaker 1: chat with me about Menajer Kocklebee and about this program 181 00:10:29,480 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 1: there to is underway in the Northern Territory at the moment. 182 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:36,199 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, Katie, and thanks the invitation. Very 183 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 2: happy to give updates along the way too. 184 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:40,440 Speaker 1: That would be great. Thanks so much, we appreciate it.