New research has shown that people are less concerned about the effects of influenza in a post-COVID-19 Australia.
The Australian Attitudes to Influenza Index, commissioned by Australian vaccine company CSL Seqirus, asked more than 1000 adults aged 18 years and older about their attitudes to the flu.
One third of respondents considered the flu somewhat serious, while just one in five 18 to 24 year-olds were concerned about the virus.
According to the latest federal health department data, there have been over 15-thousand cases of influenza so far in 2023.
Dr Zac Turner - a GP with a focus on preventative health - says that recent trends have shown that very young people are at an increased risk of some of the most severe symptoms of the disease.
"One of the interesting things though, is that the really young people so infants, babies, toddlers, all the way through to primary school, there's actually been an uptick and a bit of a surge in young people having to present to hospital for the influenza or the flu. So they're getting more symptoms that are more severe. And often this is related to breathing capacity, rather than kind of runny nose or sore throat. So they're quite life threatening."
Influenza is a viral respiratory illness that can be easily caught, especially in crowded situations, like the workplace or school.
While recent data showed a more than 100-fold increase in the first two months of 2023 compared to the first two months of 2022, it's important to understand that the numbers in 2022 - which totalled just 79 cases for this period - are considered to be "artificially low".
This is because strict COVID-19 measures almost completely eliminated influenza outbreaks in the two years prior, and many of these restrictions weren’t relaxed until late February and March of 2022.
Despite this, Professor Robert Booy, a Leading Paediatrician and Infectious Diseases Expert, says this year is a return to normal, and we are likely to see many more cases and negative outcomes.
"Flu should be taken seriously. As many as 3000 Australians die every year from influenza and many more have to see their GP or get hospitalized. It's a disease that can be prevented and it's worth preventing."
Professor Booy says it's very likely that this year's flu season will begin early.
