Why Australia's worst flu season in five years could be a warning of what's to come in UK

2 years ago 33

The UK could beryllium successful store for a terrible flu play aft Australia - which typically serves arsenic a predictor for the bluish hemisphere - suffered its worst successful 5 years.

The figures already amusement determination are 10 times much radical successful infirmary with flu than this clip past year.

NHS leaders person warned the state is facing a "tripledemic" menace of COVID, flu and a grounds request connected urgent and exigency services amid pressures connected staffing.

What are the symptoms of flu?

Influenza symptoms see a precocious temperature, headache, tiredness and a dry, chesty cough, on with cold-like symptoms specified arsenic a blocked oregon runny nose, sneezing and a sore throat.

Unlike the communal cold, symptoms thin to statesman much abruptly and are much terrible and longer lasting.

How flu cases successful Australia pass the bluish hemisphere

Experts typically show flu cases during wintertime successful Australia and New Zealand successful bid to pass predictions astir the interaction the microorganism volition person erstwhile wintertime reaches the UK.

This year, Australia saw a accelerated emergence successful flu cases, which started earlier than accustomed and reached record-high numbers.

The bulk of flu cases successful Australia were owed to influenza A, according to the Australian wellness department, which is known to origin much terrible epidemics.

New Zealand besides saw its highest flu rates compared to the past 2 years.

Relaxation of COVID measures leads to spike successful flu

According to an nonfiction successful The Lancet, the crisp summation successful infections was apt driven by a relaxation of measures enactment successful spot to combat COVID-19, specified arsenic isolation, societal distancing and wearing masks.

"The Australian information supply a informing for an earlier and much terrible influenza play successful the bluish hmisphere," the researchers said.

The authors besides said flu had not been circulating arsenic overmuch implicit the past 2 years, truthful immunity against circulating viruses was apt substantially little than compared with erstwhile years.

Furthermore, children younger than 2 - who are astir astatine hazard of terrible disease, on with large women - are improbable to person ever been exposed to flu.

The UK Health Security Agency said it was peculiarly acrophobic astir large women and toddlers.

Falling vaccination rates

The authors noted flu vaccination rates had been declining successful some Australia and the UK, including among large women and children, who are astir astatine hazard of terrible disease.

They besides said vaccination rates had dropped among healthcare workers successful the UK, from 77% successful 2020-21 to 61% successful 2021-22, erstwhile the vaccine was offered on with the COVID-19 booster.

They said information concerns and mistrust of coronavirus vaccines mightiness person besides resulted successful hesitancy towards the flu vaccine.

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The determination taken earlier this twelvemonth to region those aged 50-54 and 11-15 from the groups eligible for the flu vaccine should beryllium reconsidered, they added.

Children are astir liable for flu transmission, and person the highest corruption rates successful Australia.

The researchers said that successful bid to beryllium effective, vaccine campaigns should commencement aboriginal and code disparities successful the vaccination of groups astatine precocious hazard of infection, specified arsenic healthcare workers and children.

If the UK experiences a flu play akin to that seen successful Australia, it volition person to contend with 2 respiratory viruses circulating astatine precocious levels astatine the aforesaid clip - putting adjacent much unit connected the already-stretched NHS.

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