SA Japanese encephalitis vaccine now based on postcodes, angering some river holiday homeowners

Floodwaters are fuelling a bumper mozzie season and warnings of vaccination against a rare but deadly disease – but city-based river shack owners are banned from free vaccines.

It’s the great wall of postcodes dividing river regulars, where those on one side get free vaccine against the dangerous mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus, those on the other side do not.

A vaccine shortage means SA Health is only funding the vaccine for priority groups.

These include people “who have a primary residence in an eligible postcode and also spend at least four hours per day outdoors most days.”

They have to provide evidence of their eligible primary residence such as an address linked to a Medicare card.

Holiday homeowners from other postcodes such as Sara Adams are not eligible for the free vaccine, regardless of how much time they spend at their shack.

Sara Adams, at her flooded shack at Blanchetown, is one the homeowners not eligible for the free vaccine. Picture: Tom Huntley

SA Health says eligibility may be expanded once more vaccine is available.

Ms Adams is not impressed. She says like many people she spends extensive time on the river, pays $7500 a year in Mid Murray Council rates on her holiday home and another rental property at Blanchetown – and that mosquitoes don’t check addresses.

“Our holiday home is knee deep in water and the mozzies are getting worse,” she said.

“We went to a SA Health clinic to get the vaccine but they asked for my driver’s licence, saw it was registered to Golden Grove and told me I was not eligible.

“Mosquitoes don’t politely check your licence before biting.”

Ms Adams, husband Jason, her mother Sue and children Isabella, 17, and Sebastian, 14, spend so much time on the river she considers herself a “river regular.”

“Most weeks we are up on a Thursday and come home on a Monday so it is half-and-half,” she said.

“There would be untold people in a similar situation. We are still coming up regularly to clean up, keep an eye on things and ensure there are no looters.”

Only some in the region will get a free vaccine for the dangerous mosquito-borne Japanese encephalitis virus. Picture: File

Ms Adams says the vaccine would cost the family around $2400 due to the postcode ban.

SA has recorded nine cases of the virus so far this year, most in the Riverland, including two deaths.

The federal and state government have provided 26,500 courses of vaccines for eligible groups, and more than 9000 people have been vaccinated since the program began in March, including more than 8000 since October 14 when it was expanded to river communities.

SA Health says the two vaccines are “highly effective and safe,” and severe reactions are rare.

Most people with the infection do not experience any illness, some may get fever and headache but there is a risk of brain inflammation causing tiredness, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea, and in rare cases permanent nervous system damage or death.

Officials urge prevention against mosquito bites including wearing long, loose fitting clothing, insect repellent and eliminating water where mosquitoes breed.

They note there are other mosquito-borne diseases in SA for which no vaccine is available such as Ross River virus, Barmah Forest virus, Murray Valley encephalitis virus, West Nile virus/Kunjin disease.