Why Australia’s worst flu season in five years could be a warning of what’s to come in UK | UK News
The UK could be gearing up for a severe flu season after Australia – which often serves as a forecaster for the northern hemisphere – suffered its worst hit in five years.
The data showed that there are The number of people hospitalized for flu increased 10 times compared to this time last year.
NHS leaders have warned the country is facing a “triple” threat of COVID, flu and record demand for emergency and urgent services amid pressure on staffing.
What are the symptoms of the flu?
Flu symptoms include a high temperature, headache, fatigue, and dry cough and chest tightness, along with cold-like symptoms such as a stuffy or runny nose, sneezing, and sore throat.
Unlike the common cold, symptoms tend to start more suddenly, be more severe, and last longer.
How flu cases in Australia inform the northern hemisphere
Experts typically track flu cases during the winter in Australia and New Zealand to make predictions about the impact of the virus when winter hits the UK.
This year, Australia saw a rapid increase in flu cases, which started earlier than usual and reached record high numbers.
According to the Australian Department of Health, the majority of flu cases in Australia are caused by influenza A, which is known to cause more severe outbreaks.
New Zealand also saw the highest flu rate compared to the past two years.
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Loosening measures to prevent COVID caused the flu epidemic to spike
According to an article in The Lancet, the sharp increase in infections can be attributed to the relaxation of measures put in place to combat COVID-19, such as isolation, social distancing and wearing of masks.
“The Australian data provide warning of an earlier and more severe flu season in the northern hemisphere,” the researchers said.
The authors also say influenza has not circulated much in the past two years, so immunity against circulating viruses may be significantly lower than in previous years.
What’s more, children under the age of two – who are most at risk of severe illness, along with pregnant women – are unlikely to ever get the flu.
The UK Health Security Agency said it was particularly concerned about pregnant women and toddlers.
Vaccination rates drop
The authors note that flu vaccination rates have fallen in both Australia and the UK, including pregnant women and children, who are most at risk of severe illness.
They also say vaccination rates among healthcare workers in the UK have fallen, from 77 per cent in 2020-21 to 61 per cent in 2021-22, when vaccines are made available alongside boosters. COVID-19.
They said safety concerns and mistrust of coronavirus vaccines can also lead to hesitancy towards flu vaccines.
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The decision made earlier this year to remove people between the ages of 50-54 and 11-15 from flu-vaccination eligible groups should be reconsidered, they added.
Children are the most contagious and have the highest rates of infection in Australia.
To be effective, vaccination campaigns should start early and address disparities in vaccination for high-risk groups, such as healthcare workers, the researchers say. economy and children.
If the UK experiences a flu season similar to Australia’s, it will face two highly circulating respiratory viruses at the same time – putting more pressure on the already strained NHS. .
