❓ Hon Philip Scott asks about the WA Department of Health's wastewater testing process for polio virus and the rationale for not restricting entry for travellers administered the oral polio vaccine, given previous COVID-19 restrictions. The Minister refers questions about vaccination requirements to the Commonwealth.
AnsweredQoN 263Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
Health—Polio
263. Hon Philip Scott to
the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer to
Department of Health's media release that details a vaccine-derived polio virus
type 2 strain being detected in Perth wastewater.
(1) Can the minister provide details of
Perth's wastewater testing process for polio virus, including which laboratory
does the testing, how the sample was provided to that lab or what quality
control measures are in place to ensure a correct test result?
(2) Does the polio vaccination
requirement for people entering Australia from designated countries include the
same oral vaccine that has caused a polio virus detection?
(3) Given the government restricted entry
into WA for unvaccinated travellers due to the risk of COVID-19, can the
minister provide the rationale for similar action not being taken for
travellers who have been administered the oral polio vaccine, which exposes WA
to the vaccine-derived polio virus strain?
263. Hon Philip Scott to
the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer to
Department of Health's media release that details a vaccine-derived polio virus
type 2 strain being detected in Perth wastewater.
(1) Can the minister provide details of
Perth's wastewater testing process for polio virus, including which laboratory
does the testing, how the sample was provided to that lab or what quality
control measures are in place to ensure a correct test result?
(2) Does the polio vaccination
requirement for people entering Australia from designated countries include the
same oral vaccine that has caused a polio virus detection?
(3) Given the government restricted entry
into WA for unvaccinated travellers due to the risk of COVID-19, can the
minister provide the rationale for similar action not being taken for
travellers who have been administered the oral polio vaccine, which exposes WA
to the vaccine-derived polio virus strain?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Health.
(1) Perth wastewater is tested for polio virus
monthly by the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) in
accordance with World Health Organization testing protocols. Water samples are
collected by the WA Water Corporation using equipment and procedures provided
by the VIDRL. In addition to the national wastewater polio testing system, WA's
reference laboratory, PathWest, undertakes weekly wastewater testing for polio
as part of a system aimed at detecting a range of gastrointestinal and respiratory
pathogens. State reference laboratories maintain high standards and National
Association of Testing Authorities accreditation.
(2)–(3) Not applicable. These are matters for the
Commonwealth.
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following answer has
been provided by the Minister for Health.
(1) Perth wastewater is tested for polio virus
monthly by the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) in
accordance with World Health Organization testing protocols. Water samples are
collected by the WA Water Corporation using equipment and procedures provided
by the VIDRL. In addition to the national wastewater polio testing system, WA's
reference laboratory, PathWest, undertakes weekly wastewater testing for polio
as part of a system aimed at detecting a range of gastrointestinal and respiratory
pathogens. State reference laboratories maintain high standards and National
Association of Testing Authorities accreditation.
(2)–(3) Not applicable. These are matters for the
Commonwealth.
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