Flu is back this year: Start preparing to protect your family

By Dr Daryl Cheng, paediatrician, Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne

While parents have been coping with the fallout from COVID over the past three years – think lockdowns, sick kids and home schooling – other respiratory diseases, like influenza (flu), haven’t seemed so much of an issue.

That’s because lockdowns and other restrictions, like social distancing and mask wearing, not only reduced the risk of catching COVID-19, they also reduced the spread of other airborne diseases.

In fact, population movement controls and restrictions over the last few years significantly reduced the circulation of flu in the community.

Understanding the flu numbers

Predictably, as public health measures have all but evaporated, and families are back to enjoying international travel and face-to-face work and learning has resumed, flu is making a comeback.

In Australia, there has been a steady increase in the number of flu cases in the past few weeks. And while we often assume it’s the older members of the family, particularly grandparents, who are the most susceptible to flu, nearly 3,000 cases have been reported so far for kids under the age of nine.

With the potential return of flu to pre-pandemic prevalence, it is important for parents to consider how they can keep flu at bay this year so every member of the family has the best chance to keep to their school and work routine, as well as being able to participate in sporting and social commitments throughout the winter months.

Flu is not the common cold

Thanks to COVID-19, we know a lot more about the threat posed by airborne diseases, how easily and quickly they can spread, and how sick we can get.

Yet many people still confuse the flu with the common cold. It’s important to be able to recognise the symptoms of flu and to see your GP or pharmacist if symptoms persist.

Common symptoms of flu include a dry cough, sore throat, fever, muscle and joint pain, extreme tiredness and headaches. Children may also present with diarrhoea and vomiting.

Children aged under 5, whose immune systems are still developing, are susceptible not only to more severe influenza, but complications such as bacterial pneumonia, influenza encephalitis and even multi-organ failure.

How can I protect my kids from the flu?

While restrictions like voluntary mask wearing and social distancing will help, let’s face it, there’s little appetite in the community to go back to these measures en masse.  Therefore, other measures such as hand hygiene and vaccination remain our best defence against influenza.

Although we can’t 100 per cent protect against the flu, getting all family members vaccinated can reduce everyone’s risk of contracting it. And if you or your kids were to get infected, the symptoms are likely to be much less severe.

When is the best time to get vaccinated?

In the northern hemisphere, flu struck early. In the US so far this season, 26 million people have fallen ill from the flu, 290,000 have been admitted to hospital and 18,000 have died. Alarmingly, the flu related deaths have included 132 children.

While it is hard to predict the flu season, it is clear that flu is currently circulating in the community and Australia may even have an autumn surge. So, it is important to start preparing to get your flu vaccine.

The National Immunisation Program has fully funded vaccines for the most vulnerable groups in our population, including children six months to under five years of age, adults over 65 years and individuals five years and over with medical risk conditions. However, influenza vaccination is recommended for all people six months and older. Flu vaccines are usually available in late March or April each year and are currently available through your general practice and local pharmacy. Make an appointment with your GP or drop into your local pharmacist to discuss options for protecting your family from the flu this year.