Australians urged to get free flu jab as season peaks later than usual
Influenza cases are peaking unusually late in the year in Australia, so if you haven't had your flu jab this season, it's actually not too late.
Australians are being encouraged to receive free flu vaccinations as the flu season is arriving later than usual in the country. The Australian Respiratory Surveillance report noted over 31,000 influenza cases in the two weeks leading up to September 6, marking a 27.2% increase from the previous period. As of now, 171,440 laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza have been confirmed this year.
In the Australian Capital Territory, 2,896 confirmed cases have been recorded, while New South Wales reported 79,376, Queensland had 33,466, and Victoria had 1,672 cases.
Experts attribute the timing of the flu season to various factors, including environmental conditions, the circulating strain, and population immunity levels. University of Queensland virologist Kirsty Short explained that there might be a correlation between the COVID-19 pandemic and earlier flu peaks. She also suggested that earlier vaccinations in the year, along with waning immunity, could be contributing to the current situation.
Monash University Infectious Diseases expert Allen Cheng described the flu season as "really strange," as there was significantly less influenza than usual until early to mid-August. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, flu epidemiology has been unpredictable, with flu seasons starting early in 2022 and 2023. The most common strain circulating this year is the Super-K subclade of the H3N2 sub-type of Influenza A, which caused a record-breaking surge of cases last year.
Health experts recommend that Australians aged six months or older receive an annual flu vaccination, with free vaccines available for those at higher risk under the National Immunisation Program.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
