Pharmacy news

https://www.kianabeauty.com.au/collections/mavala/feet 

 

Our pharmacy services

Flu vaccines for ages 10 and older are available now, and can be booked online. Yes, this includes vaccines for people aged 65 and older.

– Subject to availability of the appropriate vaccine and a trained pharmacist.

– Cost $25 per person.

At an administration cost of $15 per person, government-subsidised flu vaccines are also available for those eligible, including people who:

– are over 65 years old

– have chronic medical conditions

– are pregnant

– are of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander descent.

Note – those eligible may obtain their flu vaccines from their GP, and this may be bulk-billed.

It is safe to receive your flu vaccine on the same day as your COVID vaccine. Ensure your vaccines are up to date to protect yourself as much as possible for peak flu/COVID season.

Appointments preferred, but walk-ins available. Book via your Medadvisor app or via our booking link below.

https://www.medadvisor.com.au/…/EdenRisePharmasavePharmacy

 

 

 

 

Health & Wellness

What is the issue?

Monkeypox is endemic in Central and West Africa. When cases are detected outside Africa they are usually identified in returned travellers who visited endemic areas. 

A recent increase in monkeypox cases have been reported in multiple overseas countries. Local person-to-person transmission is suspected to have occurred among international cases via direct intimate contact with other people who are infected with monkeypox.

This disease is usually self-limiting with symptoms resolving within a few weeks. However, severe illness can develop in a small percentage of people confirmed with monkeypox. 

Children unvaccinated against smallpox are at higher risk of severe disease and death.

Who is at risk?

In endemic countries monkeypox is spread via interaction with animals (typically rodents) or consumption of wild game. 

Monkeypox cases seen outside of endemic countries is typically due to international travel. Local community transmission is however suspected to have occurred among the recent international cases. Those who are at increased risk have had direct and often intimate contact with someone with monkeypox.

Symptoms and transmission

The first symptoms of monkeypox are usually fever, chills ,muscle aches, backache, swollen lymph nodes, chills, and exhaustion.

After a few days, the characteristic blistering rash usually appears in the mouth, and on the face and then spreads to other parts of the body. It may also appear on the palms of hands and soles of the feet, inside the mouth, or on the genitalia. The number of lessons varies from a few to several thousands. The rash changes and goes through different stages, like chickenpox, before finally becoming a scab that falls off.

The symptoms usually resolve by themselves within a few weeks. 

Person-to-person transmission of monkeypox occurs with very close contact with infected people (such as skin-to skin contact during intimate or sexual contact) and can also spread through respiratory droplets and contact with ‘fomites’ or infected surfaces (such as contaminated clothing, towels or furniture). 

The incubation period typically varies from 6 – 13 days from exposure but may be up to 21 days.  

People with monkeypox are contagious from the time that they develop their first symptoms (which is usually fever, but occasionally starts with a rash) and until rash lesions crust, dry or fall off. 

Recommendations

For the public

Anyone who develops symptoms, particularly if they have recently travelled overseas or had contact with a case, is being urged to seek medical care, wearing a mask and calling ahead to make sure they can isolate away from others.  

As a precaution, passengers on the same flight as the infected case are also being urged to monitor for symptoms and to isolate if symptoms develop: 

• flight EY10 which departed London on 14 May and landed in Abu Dhabi at 0615 
• flight EY462 which departed Abu Dhabi on 15 May and landed in Melbourne at 0545 on 16 May.

The Department of Health is contacting those seated in the closest vicinity of the case.

Avoid close contact with people who have suspected or confirmed monkeypox infection.

People travelling to endemic countries in central and west Africa should avoid contact with sick animals (dead or alive) that could harbour monkeypox virus (rodents, marsupials, primates) and should refrain from eating or handling wild game (bush meat). 

Staying vigilant with hygiene measures including washing hands with soap and water or alcohol- based sanitiser is important. 

For health professionals

Clinicians should be aware of compatible clinical presentation in travellers returning from an endemic area or affected countries. Information on recent travel history, contacts and immunisation should be elicited. 

Clinicians should consider the possibility of monkeypox as well as alternative diagnoses such as measles, varicella zoster, Herpes Simplex and Varicella Zoster Virus infections, and syphilis.

Any patient with suspected monkeypox should seek medical care wearing a mask and be isolated from others.   

Notify any suspect cases to the Department of Health by calling 1300 651 160.

Timely contact tracing and surveillance measures are essential to prevent secondary cases. Vaccination may be offered to close contacts within 4 days of exposure. 

Healthcare workers caring for suspected or confirmed monkeypox patients should implement both standard contact and airborne precautions. 

Collection of specimens should be discussed with the on-call medical microbiologist at the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) by calling 9342 8000 and asking to be put through to the VIDRL on-call laboratory manager. Sampling procedures may vary depending on the phase of the rash, and specific packaging and transport of samples are required.

Health Weeks

May is Macula Month, our annual awareness campaign to help Australians understand their risk of macular diseases. When you understand your risk, and know what to do, you can take early action that could save your sight.

The 2021 Macula Month will be extra special. We’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of Macular Disease Foundation Australia. That’s 20 years of impact on behalf of the macular disease community we serve.

This May, we’ll focus on Check My Macula. Check My Macula is a short online quiz that reveals your individual risk factors for macular disease in less than a minute and helps you learn what to do.

Doing the quiz takes just 60 seconds – 60 seconds that could save your sight.

With tens of thousands already taking the quiz, Check My Macula is a hugely successful tool to educate people over 50 about their risks of macular disease. And, of course, to encourage them to have regular eye exams.

Please do the quiz. If you are already living with macular disease, please share the link with your family and friends this Macula Month.

Kiana Beauty Blog