It’s that time of year again! The flu season is upon us which means now is the time to get your flu vaccination.
Severe Flu Season Ahead
This year, authorities are expecting a more severe flu season than that of 2018, with 25 reported flu deaths in Queensland this year already (which is over half of total flu deaths last year).
According to Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young, nearly 10,500 people have fallen ill with the flu so far in 2019, with 848 admitted to hospital – and that is just in Queensland! Nationwide, there have been approximately 40,000 confirmed cases.
That’s huge. And these flu cases all place an increased demand for medical attention at our hospitals. And while the healthcare system does a great job at looking after those affected with the flu, you could imagine the resources that could be saved if more people were vaccinated.
The concern is that the peak flu season hasn’t hit yet, and the rate of flu cases doesn’t appear to be slowing.
What is the flu?
The flu, or influenza, is a highly contagious respiratory illness (virus) that is more likely to develop in the colder months of the year, between June and September (although you can catch the flu at any time). The flu can be quite serious with many sufferers requiring hospitalisation and in more severe cases, death.
The flu is spread mainly through coughing and sneezing, and symptoms usually occur 1 to 3 days after being infected. These symptoms include a sudden fever, chills, muscle aches, headaches, coughing, sore throat, loss of appetite and extreme tiredness.
Get Your Flu Vaccination At Greg Keily Chemist
Now is the best time of year to get your flu vaccination. If you’re over the age of 16 we can provide a vaccination with no appointment required (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm). Outside of these hours will require an appointment though, please call us on 07 5555 7877 to arrange one.
No prescription is required either. Visit our Southport late night pharmacy today to get your vaccination up to date.
