Has your child has missed any of their secondary school-based immunisations?

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is running an evening immunisation session in Gisborne on the 28^th of November from 5-7pm. To see if your child is due for any immunisations, check your child’s immunisation history statement on the Australian Immunisation Register using your MyGov account. If your child is over 14 years old, they will need to access their immunisation history statement themselves through their own MyGov account or the Medicare mobile app.

To book in for this session please go to https://portal.cirv.vic.gov.au/communityprivacycollection/. For more information about this session or vaccinations for high school students please email immunisation@mrsc.vic.gov.au”

Whooping Cough

There has been a couple of confirmed cases of whooping cough (Pertussis) within the student population of the College. Whooping cough is a serious, contagious, respiratory infection.

Whooping cough begins with symptoms like those of a cold such as a cough, tiredness, blocked or runny nose and low-grade fevers, which may last for one to 2 weeks. After these symptoms, the cough usually worsens to include:

• severe cough that can occur in bouts
• characteristic 'whooping' sound on breathing
• vomiting at the end of a bout of coughing

Other symptoms may include poor appetite, fatigue and dehydration. People may appear well between bouts of coughing. During the recovery period, the cough gradually decreases but can last up to 3 months.

As whooping cough is highly contagious, the College is taking every precaution to prevent further spread of the infection. If your child is unwell and/or coughing, please don't send them to school and seek medical attention. If your child has been tested for whooping cough they MUST remain at home until swab results are known. If any student at the College is unwell and/or is coughing, they will be isolated and parents/emergency contacts will be called to collect the student.

The best defence against whooping cough is being up to date with available vaccinations and isolating if suspected or symptomatic of whooping cough. If you are unsure of your vaccination status, please speak to your General Practitioner.

Should you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Jalna Holmes, Health Centre Coordinator on 54211200.