CANBERRA, Mar 16 (NNN-AAP) – Australians have been warned to brace for a virus “triple threat” in the upcoming winter.
After northern hemisphere nations were hit by concurrent waves of COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), through their winter, experts said, Australia could face similar situations.
Nick Coatsworth, an infectious diseases expert from Australian National University, who was the federal Deputy Chief Medical Officer, at the outbreak of COVID-19, said, accessibility to healthcare could become a significant problem in the event of a triple wave.
“There is a triple threat this year, with the combination of flu, COVID-19, and RSV, and the urgency for early protection is real,” he was quoted by News Corp Australia as saying.
As general practitioners (GPs) and hospitals across the country stretch their capacity to record levels, the demand is only going to worsen, if we all get sick, Coatsworth said.
“Many will still rely on their GPs to get vaccinated, but this may become problematic with already overstretched GP clinics and extended waiting times.”
Instead, he urged Australians to have their influenza vaccines at pharmacies and ensure they are up to date with COVID-19 inoculations before winter hits.
Influenza vaccines for 2023 are set to become widely available to Australians from Apr.
According to Department of Health data released earlier in Mar, there were 8,453 confirmed influenza cases in Australia, in the first two months of the year, 100 times more than the 79 through the same period in 2022.
Flu vaccines were made free for Australians in some states in 2022, to boost uptake and curb the impact of a double blow with COVID-19, but no announcement has been made for 2023.– NNN-AAP
