Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/a...st-vaccine-fatigue-as-it-battles-flu-outbreak
Australia struggles against vaccine fatigue as it battles flu outbreak
Published
9 Hours Ago
SYDNEY - Australia is battling its first serious influenza outbreak since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving the authorities struggling to persuade a vaccine-weary public to get flu shots.
Official data showed there were 65,770 flu cases in May - more than double the month's previous record set during a severe outbreak in 2019. But the numbers have been rapidly increasing.
According to the federal government's influenza surveillance system, there were 147,155 cases of flu recorded from Jan 1 to June 19 this year. Of these, 55,101 or more than one third occurred from June 5. There have been 54 flu-related deaths.
The outbreak marks a sharp turnaround from the past two years, when lockdowns, border closures and social distancing measures that were imposed due to Covid-19 helped to limit the spread of influenza.
In the entire year of 2021, just 598 flu cases were reported.
But Australia is now a mask-free, open-border, post-lockdown nation.
As a result, both Covid-19 and influenza can spread freely, especially as the past two years of largely flu-free living has meant that immunity is low...
Australia struggles against vaccine fatigue as it battles flu outbreak
Published
9 Hours Ago
SYDNEY - Australia is battling its first serious influenza outbreak since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving the authorities struggling to persuade a vaccine-weary public to get flu shots.
Official data showed there were 65,770 flu cases in May - more than double the month's previous record set during a severe outbreak in 2019. But the numbers have been rapidly increasing.
According to the federal government's influenza surveillance system, there were 147,155 cases of flu recorded from Jan 1 to June 19 this year. Of these, 55,101 or more than one third occurred from June 5. There have been 54 flu-related deaths.
The outbreak marks a sharp turnaround from the past two years, when lockdowns, border closures and social distancing measures that were imposed due to Covid-19 helped to limit the spread of influenza.
In the entire year of 2021, just 598 flu cases were reported.
But Australia is now a mask-free, open-border, post-lockdown nation.
As a result, both Covid-19 and influenza can spread freely, especially as the past two years of largely flu-free living has meant that immunity is low...