Flu season has arrived — here's how to stay ahead of it

Winter has only just set in, and influenza is already doing the rounds. It's tempting to wait until you're surrounded by coughs and sneezes to think about it, but the most useful time to act is right now, before the season hits its stride.

The flu isn't just a heavy cold. For most healthy adults it means a miserable week off your feet; for others it can be genuinely dangerous. The good news is that protecting yourself and the people around you is straightforward, and we can help you sort it in a single visit.

Colds and flu share a lot of symptoms, which is part of why the flu gets underestimated. The difference is usually in how hard and how fast it hits.

• A cold comes on gradually, with symptoms including a runny nose, scratchy throat and a bit of a cough. You feel off, but you can usually keep going.
• The flu tends to arrive suddenly with a high fever, aching muscles, headache, exhaustion and a dry cough. It often puts you in bed for several days. Influenza is a very contagious infection of the airways, and it spreads easily before you even realise you're unwell. That's what makes it so good at moving through families, workplaces and schools each winter.

A flu vaccine is the single most effective thing you can do to lower your risk this winter. A few things worth knowing:

• It takes about two weeks to work: your body needs time to build protection, so getting vaccinated early means you're covered before flu peaks (typically June through September).
• It's a yearly shot: the virus changes, so the vaccine is updated each year to match the strains expected this season. Last year's shot won't protect you this year.
• It's free for many people: under the National Immunisation Program, the flu vaccine is free for several groups (the ones most at risk — see below). If you're not in one of those groups, it's still widely available and affordable.
• You can combine it: if you're due for a COVID-19 or another vaccine, these can usually be given on the same day, so one visit covers it.

Everyone aged six months and over is recommended to have a flu vaccine each year. If you're not sure whether you're due, talk to your doctor and the vaccination can often be scheduled then and there.

For a healthy adult, the flu is usually a rough week. For others, it can lead to serious complications and a stay in hospital. The people most at risk include:

• Babies and young children — particularly those under five, whose immune systems are still developing.
• Pregnant women — flu carries higher risks during pregnancy, and vaccination also helps protect the baby in their first months.
• Adults aged 65 and over — the risk of serious illness climbs with age.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — who are more likely to become seriously unwell with the flu.
• Anyone with an ongoing health condition — such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma or other lung conditions, or a weakened immune system.

  If you or someone you care for is on this list, the flu vaccine isn't just a good idea — it's free under the National Immunisation Program, and it's one of the simplest ways to stay well this winter.

Even if you're fit and healthy yourself, getting vaccinated helps protect the more vulnerable people around you — your parents, your newborn, your mates.

Beyond vaccination, the basics still go a long way:

• Wash your hands well and often: especially before eating and after coughing or sneezing.
• Stay home if you're unwell: rest helps you recover and keeps the flu from spreading to others.
• Cover coughs and sneezes: into your elbow or a tissue, not your hands.
• Look out for each other: check in on older relatives and anyone with a health condition, and encourage them to get vaccinated too. If you do come down with something and you're worried — especially if you're in one of the higher-risk groups — don't tough it out. Get in touch early, as some treatments work best when started promptly.

It only takes a few minutes, and there's no better time than now, before the winter peak. Book online, give us a call, or drop in!