As is the case every winter, influenza is beginning to circulate among the public, putting pressure on our hospital system.
What are the symptoms of flu?
Flu symptoms include a cough, blocked nose and sore throat, says Dr Scott Walkin, the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and HSE clinical lead for infection control, said.
“What differentiates the flu from other respiratory illnesses is it tends to come on pretty quickly. It goes from no symptoms to uncomfortable in a few hours – six or eight hours,” he said. “And the other thing is there’s often prominent muscle pain.”
Can I still go to work if I have the flu?
In short, no. Dr Walkin said people who have the flu should stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus to those who are particularly vulnerable.
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“If people are sick, they should minimise mixing, whether that’s at work or at social events,” he said, adding the isolation period is typically five days from the onset of symptoms.
Should I go to a doctor or hospital if I contract it?
Most people who contract the flu will not need to see their doctor or attend a hospital, Dr Walkin said, and can treat it with rest and over-the-counter medication.
However, if a person is experiencing shortness of breath or their symptoms are particularly severe then they should be reviewed by a medical professional.
How rampant is the virus?
The most recent figures show there were 1,977 cases of flu in the week ending November 29th, up from 906 the previous week. That’s an increase of more than 118 per cent, according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
Cases are on an upward trajectory and are expected to peak around Christmas time.
And is there serious illness too?
The number of people admitted as inpatients in hospitals due to influenza has doubled in a week, with 418 hospitalisations recorded during the last week of November, compared with 213 the previous week.
Furthermore, there have been nine flu deaths this winter season so far.
What’s different this year?
The flu season this year has arrived earlier in Ireland and across Europe. Furthermore, a significant proportion of cases are a new subclade, with indications suggesting this is a more infectious and severe variant.
How can people protect themselves from it?
Dr Walkin said vaccination is the most effective way to protect oneself from the virus, describing it as “the single most important intervention”.
He added that cleaning hands and proper cough etiquette are also important at this time of year.
“We should all get ourselves an early Christmas present of hand sanitiser. And if you want to make sure you don’t have to miss out on Christmas celebrations, then the time to get vaccinated is now,” he said.
Is vaccine uptake high?
Not as high as health services would like. HSPC data shows 56 per cent of adults aged 60 and older were vaccinated against the virus as of November 23rd, against a target of 75 per cent.
Uptake is higher among those who live in nursing homes under the Fair Deal Scheme, with 80 per cent uptake.
However, levels of vaccination among HSE healthcare workers and children are particularly low, at 26 per cent and 18 per cent respectively.
What about other illnesses like Covid?
Well, Covid is a respiratory illness just like influenza and typically increases around this time of year.
Last winter was a very mild Covid season and current projections suggest this winter will be similar. There were 132 cases of the virus in the last week of November, a slight uptick on the previous weeks but cases still remain quite low.
