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Be FluSmart This Influenza Season

Be smart about the flu this season

Last year Australian laboratories confirmed more than 67,000 cases of influenza in the country – that’s more than the 2009 Flu Pandemic.

Australians might be in for another bad season this year if numbers here follow the trend in the United States, where widespread influenza has already been recorded in most states, 26 children have died and thousands of older people have been hospitalised.

Now is the time to think preventatively.

This year’s flu vaccine has two of its three components updated from the 2014 vaccine to cater for changes in the virus, and it’s important to boost your immunity since immunity to the virus reduces by about 50 per cent over a year, according to Influenza Specialist Group chairman Dr Alan Hampson.

“The vaccine isn’t perfect but greatly reduces your chance of infection, being hospitalised or dying from influenza,” Dr Hampson said.

“Over a year, immunity reduces by around 50 per cent or more so you need to keep boosting your immunity.”

“2014 was a very significant flu year with a lot of people hospitalised and, showing that all parts of the population can be at risk, more than 25000 of these laboratory confirmed cases were in people in the younger adult group (20-49 years).

“We recommend people who are in close contact with those most at risk of becoming seriously ill if infected are also vaccinated.

“So if you have an elderly or ill family member, or a young baby you can help protect them by beingimmunised, less likely to contract influenza and to pass it on.”

It is estimated that each year influenza causes more than 18,000 hospitalisations and costs the Australian healthcare system $85m. More alarmingly, influenza or ‘the flu’ is responsible for between 1500 and 3500 deaths, similar to Australia’s road death toll.

Australians are reminded not to confuse the fly with the common cold – symptoms are more severe and include high fever, muscular aches and pains, headache, a dry cough and sore throat.

For some people influenza is life-threatening.

Influenza is caused by particular groups of viruses, which are spread by coughs and sneezes. Droplets containing the virus are released into the air can survive in an enclosed space for at least an hour.

Droplets can also be left on hard surfaces and if you touch that surface and then touch your mouth, nose or eyes, you could be infected. The virus can last for at least eight hours on surfaces such as stainless steel and plastic.

“Influenza can be very debilitating and you may need up to a week of bed rest to recover,” Dr Hampson said.

“Unfortunately people don’t always listen to their body and instead they dull their symptoms with analgesics and press on. That stresses the body and can lead to severe consequences such as pneumonia.”

Immunisation in March or April is the most effective protection against influenza, although outbreaks can occur even earlier.

Australians are also being encouraged to disregard the flu myths, including:

  • The vaccine can give you flu: “The vaccine contains purified influenza virus that has been killed and broken into fragments so it just can’t give you influenza,” Dr Hampson said. “In rare cases, a person’s immune system reacts and they may feel a little off-colour and get some minor symptoms during the 24 hours after the vaccine. But it’s not influenza.”
  • I don’t need to be vaccinated every year: you do, as the influenza strains change the vaccine wears off
  • I’m sick so I shouldn’t have the vaccine: if it is a minor illness without fever, it’s fine to get the shot. Consult your doctor if you are worried.
  • I’m fit and healthy, so I’ll be fine: “Being fit and healthy won’t protect you – you can still be infected and, unfortunately occasionally this can result in serious illness or death” Dr Hampson said.

Go to www.flusmart.org.au for more information about the flu and the vaccine.

 

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