Now's the time to get your flu shot before winter sets in. Photo / 123rf
Now's the time to get your flu shot before winter sets in. Photo / 123rf
Health professionals in the Whanganui region are preparing for a potentially big flu season this winter.
Whanganui Regional Health Network (WRHN) chief executive Jude MacDonald is concerned that after the last two years of isolation and the borders being closed due to Covid-19, we may be unprepared for the comingflu season.
"Now that we've got the borders opened up, we may well be exposed to some new viruses that we haven't had before," MacDonald said.
With most people being concerned with Covid-19 over the last two years, they may have let their yearly influenza vaccines fall by the wayside, she said.
This could leave people vulnerable to new strains of the flu that may enter the community from overseas.
Whanganui Regional Health Network CEO Jude MacDonald is preparing for a potentially large flu season. Photo / Supplied.
MacDonald is urging people and families to organise with their GPs to catch up on their vaccinations, and said the WRHN is striving to make sure the community is prepared for the winter.
According to the Ministry of Health, the influenza virus, commonly known as the flu, infects the nose, mouth and lungs.
The flu spreads quickly from person to person through the air and through touch.
The symptoms of influenza are normally worse than those of the common cold and can include a runny nose, coughs, chills, muscle aches, stomach pains and a fever.
The severity of these symptoms can vary, but most years influenza hospitalises thousands of people, and can kill.
Older people and young children are at the most risk of suffering severe symptoms.
The WRHN is providing advice on where people can get immunised and is running its own vaccination clinic where people can go if their GP is too busy.
Age Concern Whanganui manager Michelle Malcolm said how the flu season impacts older people will be largely dependent on the state of Covid-19 infection in the community.
"Depending on where New Zealand is with Covid, it could be a very difficult time for people," Malcolm said.
Whether the rate of Covid-19 has reached its peak in the Whanganui region will greatly affect older people's ability to be out in the community and get their flu immunisation, she said.
The symptoms of influenza can look similar to symptoms of Covid-19 as well as other diseases like meningococcal disease, so the Ministry of Health is urging people to contact their health professionals or Healthline if they are concerned about their symptoms.
Young children are also a group at risk and Whanganui medical officer of health Dr Patrick O'Connor is especially concerned for them this winter.
O'Connor said over the last couple of years, childhood immunisation rates across Aotearoa have declined.
As a result, children, especially those under 4 years, will be more susceptible to childhood diseases such as whooping cough and measles, as well as influenza.
Whanganui's Medical Officer of Health Dr Patrick O'Connor wants parents to make sure their children's vaccinations are up to date. Photo / Bevan Conley
O'Connor said there are many reasons people may have forgotten about their regular immunisations and the next few weeks are the perfect time to refocus on protecting tamariki from illnesses.
"We've concentrated very much on Covid for the last two years so we need to get back to thinking about the usual suspects - flu, whooping cough and measles," O'Connor said.
Keith Street School principal Linda Ireton said almost all students attending schools will be fully vaccinated due to the Ministry of Health's immunisation schedule, which immunises children against diseases like whooping cough and measles.
The vaccination status of every child is kept on record, Ireton said.
Keith St School Principal Linda Ireton says that the immunisation status of all children is kept on record in case of a childhood disease outbreak. Photo / Bevan Conley
This is done to protect unvaccinated children and, in the case of an outbreak of measles or other diseases, the parents of unvaccinated children, who will be more vulnerable, will be notified, she said.
While the influenza vaccine is not part of the New Zealand immunisation schedule for children, kidshealth.org.nz says all children older than 6 months will benefit from being immunised against the flu.
It recommends children with long-term illnesses be immunised, as they are at a greater risk of developing complications from the flu, and parents should be notified by their doctor or GP about the need to be immunised.
Fightflu.co.nz recommends that people should immunise against the flu once a year, as the effectiveness of the vaccine weakens over time and symptoms can be caused by different strains of the flu, so staying regularly immunised is the best protection.
While people are most likely to catch flu in winter, the best time to get immunised is before winter as the vaccine takes two weeks to be fully effective.
Whanganui's Central City Pharmacy will be rolling out influenza vaccines from early April.
Owner Cameron McNaught said the pharmacy has been offering the vaccine for the past three years and has seen an increase year on year in the number of people being vaccinated.
However, with Covid case numbers not expected to peak for another week at least, McNaught is interested to see whether people will be willing to go out to get immunised against the flu.
Whanganui Central City Pharmacy's Cameron McNaught hopes people will keep up their good hygiene habits this coming flu season. Photo / Ethan Griffiths
The pharmacy has also offered Covid vaccination since last year and McNaught said some people who got the vaccine also booked in to receive a flu shot.
The pandemic has also had people pick up better hygiene habits which, along with many people staying indoors, has led to relatively quiet winters the last couple of years.
"The last couple of flu seasons, people have been a lot better generally, they haven't been going out as much, they've been a lot more conscious of their hygiene," McNaught said.
He hopes people will keep up these good habits to keep themselves and their communities safe.
Visit fightflu.co.nz to see if you are eligible to get your flu shot for free.
