With reduced social distancing, borders re-opened and international travel once again on the agenda, experts are concerned that Australians are downplaying the prospect of a serious flu season in 2022.
A survey commissioned by Australian vaccine manufacturer Seqirus asked 1000 adults aged 18-plus about their attitudes toward influenza.
The results reveal that:
- 45% of Australian adults believe the flu is a very serious condition that can lead to death in vulnerable people.
- 29% say they are not intending to get vaccinated against the flu.
- 11% are still undecided about the flu vaccine.
- Those who don’t intend to get the flu vaccine in 2022 are more likely than those intending to get vaccinated to say that flu is not a serious condition (29% compared to 11%).
According to leading infectious disease expert, Professor Robert Booy, with so little flu around for so long, a reawakening of the flu could be troublesome.
“For the last two years, we’ve had next to no flu, and vaccination rates have been low as well. As a consequence, the level of community protection has dropped significantly.
“I’m concerned about the correlation between people who do not think that flu is serious and those who do not intend to get vaccinated,” says Professor Booy.
Professor Booy also says there was the possibility that recent calls for Australians to “treat Covid like the flu” have had the unintended consequence of portraying flu as a milder disease.
“People need reminding that we’ve had some bad flu seasons in the past,” says Professor Booy.
“Modelling data from 2010-2019, estimates that Australia averaged nearly 2800 annual flu deaths, with more than 6400 estimated deaths in 2017 and over 5200 in 2019.
“There is no way of predicting what 2022 will be like so we need to do everything we can now to prepare.”
According to Dr Daniel Furtner, Medical Director, Vaccines & Biosecurity at Seqirus, protecting the public health of Australians will be crucial this winter, with our healthcare system facing pressure from Covid-19 and flu.
“The last few years have demonstrated how viruses can impact our lives, especially when we have low immunity,” says Dr Furtner.
“It’s important that we continue to focus on public health efforts including protecting high-risk communities, reducing transmission and helping people recover quickly.
“Washing your hands, staying home if you’re unwell, social distancing, mask-wearing on public transport and vaccination will continue to be important measures for protecting us from viruses like flu.”
