SYDNEY, Apr 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Australia’s two-year drop in influenza cases has ended, with flu numbers rising well ahead of the winter months and experts urging people to get vaccinated.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, when large sections of the population were in lockdown and international borders were closed, flu numbers plummeted to record lows.
Experts note that, the scenario has changed, and they are subsequently predicting flu cases will rise while COVID-19 lingers on.
That was the message at an online journalist briefing, hosted by the science-based website Scimex yesterday, where leading epidemiologists and immunologists discussed what the next few months could hold.
Prof. Catherine Bennett, the chair in Epidemiology at Deakin University, said, with international borders having reopened, there was “no way” Australia could avoid a rise in flu cases.
Bennett also stated that many people, having not encountered the highly contagious flu virus for a long time, could now be even more susceptible.
That is because previously, when flu was widespread in Australia, even unvaccinated people could have gained a partial immunity from having been exposed to the virus from those around them.
“People really need to understand the importance of protecting themselves against both these viruses (flu and COVID-19),” Bennett said.
Health authorities are especially keen for the community’s most vulnerable members, which includes pregnant women, children aged under five and people aged over 65 and those with weakened immune systems, to get their flu jabs.
“Everyone six months and older is recommended to get a flu jab, but particularly those high-risk groups, as the virus is extremely contagious and potentially deadly,” said Dr. Richard Broome, NSW Health Executive Director of Health Protection.
Just how serious it will become, however, remains open to speculation, with specialists, such as, microbiologist, Dr. Paul Griffin from the University of Queensland (UQ) saying that, there were some mitigating factors which might reduce its severity.
“One thing working in our favour is that, some people will continue to adhere to behaviours they adapted during the pandemic,” Griffin said.
“So they will continue to wear masks, regularly wash their hands and be more aware of the contagious risks of large crowds.
“But on the other side of the equation, many of us didn’t get around to getting flu shots for the past few years, and so we need to remind people that getting vaccinated is extremely important.”
The return of the flu has, in fact, already begun with the National Notifiable Disease Surveillance having recorded 409 flu cases in March alone, compared to only 509 cases throughout 2021.
The experts also noted that, it is mid-autumn in Australia and the height of the flu season will be in winter.– NNN-AGENCIES
