June 24, 2016
Independent Senate candidate Belinda Marriage has called for Q Fever vaccinations to be subsidised by the Federal Government.
Ms Marriage, a former nurse, said the short term cost of the vaccination was far cheaper than the long term effects of chronic Q Fever.
“Some sufferers are never able to work again. In addition to the financial costs to the health care system, there are also costs to the community, family and suffering of individuals,” she said.
Q Fever is caused by a bacteria found in sheep, cattle, goats and other livestock, native and domestic animals.
People commonly catch Q Fever by breathing in infected dust.
Ms Marriage said the effects of Q Fever are not limited only to workers but to their families as well. Just like the asbestos problem, the dust from workers’ clothing has been known to affect those who do the laundry and children coming into contact with the dust.
Dry, arid and dusty Queensland – in the midst of one of the worst droughts in living memory – is the perfect transmission environment for Q Fever.
The highest rates of diagnosed Q Fever are in Queensland.
Ms Marriage also called for an education program for the public and health professionals, and more research into the disease.
“The current human vaccination cannot be given to persons under 15 year old,” she said.
“We need a vaccination developed for livestock that can be given to stock that are around children who are too young to be given the human vaccination. This would greatly help to manage the risk of Q Fever in stock and humans.
“Currently the Q Fever vaccination is not subsided by the Government, leaving those most vulnerable to be out of pocket and at risk.
Ms Marriage has started a petition on Change.org pushing for subsidised vaccinations for Q Fever.
“The old saying is that prevention is better than a cure – we can prevent Q-Fever but there is no cure,” she said.
