Viruses knock Aussies off their feet for weeks! Learn how to avoid the same fate
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As the chill of winter descends upon us, Aussies are finding themselves huddled indoors, seeking warmth and comfort.
However, this seasonal shift brings with it more than just a drop in temperature; it heralds a wave of respiratory viruses that are leaving many Aussies bedridden for weeks, with symptoms that some say are 'worse than COVID’.
Health workers nationwide are raising the alarm over a potent mix of respiratory illnesses that are spreading rapidly.
The impact of these viruses is to be considered, as they can knock even the healthiest individuals off their feet.
The situation is worsened by what experts are calling 'vaccine fatigue'.
After years of COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, Australians seem less inclined to roll up their sleeves for the flu shot.
This reluctance is leading to complacency, which in turn is resulting in a spike in severe cases of flu and other respiratory viruses.
Dr Joel Ten, a spokesperson for the National Asthma Council Australia and a Melbourne-based GP, has observed the toll these viruses take.
‘I've seen a number of patients who have reported that they've had quite severe symptoms with the flu, but it does depend from person to person,' he said.
‘There are a lot of respiratory viruses floating around at the moment; it's not just COVID and influenza.’
‘There are many others that we don't routinely test for. Another big one that has been around is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).’
‘There are other viruses like parainfluenza, rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus that can also infect people outside of the big three.’
‘And certainly, some of my patients have said similar things that when they've contracted one, they felt that it was worse than COVID itself.’
Natalie Hunt, a Sydney resident, can attest to the severity of these illnesses.
She's been bedridden for weeks, suffering from symptoms that have outlasted and outdone her bout with COVID-19.
'This is the longest and nastiest illness I've had since I was a kid,' she shared.
‘Nasty, green chesty mucus, cough, fatigue, swollen glands, lower back pain, blocked ears — I've had it all.’
Dr Ten suggested that the lack of flu vaccinations could contribute to the severity of the illnesses.
‘So certainly, if you've not been vaccinated for the flu, but you've been vaccinated for COVID, that could explain why some people are getting influenza subjectively worse than some people have gotten COVID.’ he said.
‘Whatever [viruses] are prevalent in the northern hemisphere, vaccines will be generated against generally the top four of those particular ones.’
‘And then that gets shipped across to us in the southern hemisphere. And then hopefully, whatever we get vaccination-wise is going match up with whatever strains are floating around.’
In related news, NSW residents are urged to get vaccinated as influenza cases surge, with over 4,700 diagnoses in April.
Health authorities are especially concerned about vulnerable groups, including young children, older adults, and individuals with severe health conditions. Read more about this news here.
Have you or someone you know been affected by the recent wave of respiratory illnesses? Share your experiences and tips for staying healthy in the comments below.
However, this seasonal shift brings with it more than just a drop in temperature; it heralds a wave of respiratory viruses that are leaving many Aussies bedridden for weeks, with symptoms that some say are 'worse than COVID’.
Health workers nationwide are raising the alarm over a potent mix of respiratory illnesses that are spreading rapidly.
The impact of these viruses is to be considered, as they can knock even the healthiest individuals off their feet.
The situation is worsened by what experts are calling 'vaccine fatigue'.
Health workers reported a mix of respiratory viruses spreading across Australia, leaving people bedridden for weeks, feeling worse than with COVID-19. Credit: Shutterstock
After years of COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, Australians seem less inclined to roll up their sleeves for the flu shot.
This reluctance is leading to complacency, which in turn is resulting in a spike in severe cases of flu and other respiratory viruses.
Dr Joel Ten, a spokesperson for the National Asthma Council Australia and a Melbourne-based GP, has observed the toll these viruses take.
‘I've seen a number of patients who have reported that they've had quite severe symptoms with the flu, but it does depend from person to person,' he said.
‘There are a lot of respiratory viruses floating around at the moment; it's not just COVID and influenza.’
‘There are many others that we don't routinely test for. Another big one that has been around is respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).’
‘There are other viruses like parainfluenza, rhinovirus, and metapneumovirus that can also infect people outside of the big three.’
‘And certainly, some of my patients have said similar things that when they've contracted one, they felt that it was worse than COVID itself.’
Natalie Hunt, a Sydney resident, can attest to the severity of these illnesses.
She's been bedridden for weeks, suffering from symptoms that have outlasted and outdone her bout with COVID-19.
'This is the longest and nastiest illness I've had since I was a kid,' she shared.
‘Nasty, green chesty mucus, cough, fatigue, swollen glands, lower back pain, blocked ears — I've had it all.’
Dr Ten suggested that the lack of flu vaccinations could contribute to the severity of the illnesses.
‘So certainly, if you've not been vaccinated for the flu, but you've been vaccinated for COVID, that could explain why some people are getting influenza subjectively worse than some people have gotten COVID.’ he said.
‘Whatever [viruses] are prevalent in the northern hemisphere, vaccines will be generated against generally the top four of those particular ones.’
‘And then that gets shipped across to us in the southern hemisphere. And then hopefully, whatever we get vaccination-wise is going match up with whatever strains are floating around.’
In related news, NSW residents are urged to get vaccinated as influenza cases surge, with over 4,700 diagnoses in April.
Health authorities are especially concerned about vulnerable groups, including young children, older adults, and individuals with severe health conditions. Read more about this news here.
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