New HA CEO

Carrie Fowlie at a drug policy discussion in Canberra

Hepatitis Australia has appointed Carrie Fowlie as its incoming Chief Executive Officer. Following the retirement of Helen Tyrrell at the beginning of February, Hepatitis Australia undertook a rigorous recruitment process to identify the person to take over the operational leadership of the organisation and work closely with the Board. Hepatitis Australia President Associate Professor Grant Phelps said, “The Board is delighted that Carrie has accepted the position of CEO. Carrie brings deep experience and knowledge of the sector and is well known to and highly regarded by many who have worked with Hepatitis Australia. “Carrie is very well positioned to assist the Board and staff of Hepatitis Australia to continue to drive towards improving the lives of people with hepatitis B and hepatitis C and our vision of an end to viral hepatitis in Australia.” Carrie Fowlie heads to Hepatitis Australia with almost two decades of peak body experience. Carrie Fowlie has extensive representational experience at the national and international level. Her work with elected officials and their offices, in parliaments, at the United Nations and with government officials has resulted in policies that are consistent with the evidence and the priorities of the constituencies she has represented. Carrie Fowlie said, “The leadership of Hepatitis Australia with its members, affected communities, the sector and allies over the past decade has been transformative.” “What an extraordinary opportunity, working

together to achieve a shared goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030. “I look forward to contributing to the health and wellbeing and strengthening the voices of around 400,000 Australians living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C and those who represent them.” Acting CEO Kevin Marriott said, “The staff team at Hepatitis Australia is excited to welcome Carrie and we look forward to her leadership and guidance into the future.” Carrie Fowlie will formally commence with Hepatitis Australia in mid-April. v

COVID-19 is the name of the disease caused by a new coronavirus first reported in Hubei Province, China in 2019. Coronaviruses can make humans and animals sick. Some coronaviruses can cause illness similar to the common cold and others can cause more serious diseases, including Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). COVID-19 is most likely to spread from person-toperson through: • direct close contact with a person while they are infectious • close contact with a person with a confirmed infection who coughs or sneezes, or • touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles or tables) contaminated from a cough or sneeze from a person with a confirmed infection, and then touching your mouth or face. The virus causing COVID-19 infection has not previously affected humans, and

no vaccine is currently available. This means there is no immunity to this infection in the community. Practising good hand and sneeze/ cough hygiene is the best defence against most viruses. Face masks are not routinely recommended for members of the public, unless you already have the virus (to reduce the risk of spreading to others), or if you are caring for someone who has COVID-19. Practising good hand and sneeze/cough hygiene and keeping your distance from others when you are sick is the best defence against most viruses. You should: • wash your hands frequently with soap and water, before and after eating, and after going to the toilet • cover your cough and sneeze, dispose of tissues, and use soap or alcohol-based hand sanitiser • avoid contact with others (stay more than 1.5 metres from people) • stay at home if you are unwell

• exercise personal responsibility for social distancing measures. The virus will affect individuals differently. Many people who come in contact with the virus will experience a mild illness or no symptoms at all, but some can go on to develop serious effects such as pneumonia. People with COVID-19 most commonly experience: • fever • flu-like symptoms, including coughing, sore throat and fatigue • shortness of breath So, what are the risks of COVID-19 for people living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C? At this stage there is no evidence to suggest people living with hepatitis B or hepatitis C and who are otherwise well are at greater risk of infection with COVID-19. However, current information suggests some people living with hepatitis B and hepatitis C who also have other conditions— such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease and diabetes—will likely have an increased risk of

Electron microscope image of COVID-19 virus particles (in blue)

serious illness if they get COVID-19. People who have developed advanced liver diseases (including cirrhosis) and deteriorating health as a result of hepatitis B or C should be vigilant in protecting themselves from contracting COVID-19 as they are at risk of more serious illness. This includes people who have ongoing health conditions as a result of a previous hepatitis C infection which has been cured. People with weakened immune systems (e.g. people on immunesuppressing medications (perhaps after a liver transplant), people receiving cancer treatments), elderly people (especially those aged over 70 years), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people with chronic medical conditions are particularly at risk from the effects of COVID-19. If you have hepatitis B or hepatitis C, or have previously had hepatitis C, this crisis is a good reminder to consider asking your doctor for a liver health check if you have not had one in the last six months. Be vigilant and use the same COVID-19 protective measures recommended for the general population, and consult a healthcare provider if in doubt about your risk, especially if you have been around someone who has travelled overseas recently. People with significant liver disease are recommended to receive vaccinations

against influenza and pneumococcal disease. These are funded for people aged 65 and over, and influenza vaccine is funded for all people with chronic liver disease. It is a good idea to make an appointment with your GP to discuss vaccination as soon as possible. The influenza vaccine provides optimal protection for the first three to four months after vaccination. People within one year of liver transplantation are recommended to have a second flu-shot at least four weeks after the initial vaccination. Pneumococcal vaccination every 5–10 years is also recommended for people with reduced immunity. Specific recommendations vary according to age

An earlier version of this piece first appeared on our blog, HepSay, at hepatitissa.asn.au/blog. Come and visit us there!

and previous vaccination history. If you are a smoker, cigarette smoking also increases the risk of severe respiratory illness, and quitting smoking may reduce your chances of complications due to COVID-19. If you are currently taking treatment for hepatitis B or hepatitis C, or other chronic conditions, it is recommended to ensure you have an adequate stock of your medication to reduce unnecessary visits to health services or pharmacies. Your medications were prescribed to manage your medical condition and to keep your condition well controlled. Stopping medication poses a risk of poor disease control. Any adjustments to your medications should only occur in discussion with your treating clinician. If you are unwell with COVID-19 then the doctors treating you may temporarily stop some of your medications. Your specialist should be notified if this happens as alternative medications may be required. It is important that people with GI and liver conditions remain under care through the COVID-19 outbreak. Hospital clinics and specialists are reducing the numbers of people attending for routine review. Some people with active issues of concern may need to be seen for a face-to-face consultation. However, from 13 March 2020 new Medicare item numbers are available for attending a specialist tele-health consultation by video-conference. As older people and those with chronic illnesses or who are immuno-suppressed may be at increased risk if they develop COVID-19 infection, these videoconference consultations provide a way of receiving specialist review of your condition without the infection risk associated with visiting the clinic. You should contact your specialist to discuss whether a tele-health consultation is appropriate for you. Remember, taking action sooner rather than later is advised, as increasing numbers of people in the general population infected with COVID-19 will put more strain on the healthcare system, making it harder to get appointments or visit medical clinics or hospitals. v

For more information about COVID-19, visit the SA Government hub at sa.gov.au/covid-19. You can also contact the National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080. This line operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In South Australia, call the SA COVID-19 Information Line on 1800 253 787. This operates from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. For Hepatitis SA’s curated list of COVID-19 resources in languages other than English, visit bit.ly/covidlote. For advice on managing stress and anxiety, start with headtohealth.gov.au/ covid-19-support/covid-19. Advice in this article drawn from: www.health.gov.au www.hepatitisaustralia. com/covid-19 www.gesa.org.au/ resources/covid-19