The IAA One Minute Blog

A bad flu season in Australia is serving as a warning sign for the United States.

Flu Hits Australia

There has been two and a half times more flu cases reported to Australia’s National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System this year, compared with the same period last year, says Australia’s Department of Health.  

Most cases have been in people over the age of 80 and in between the ages of five and 9. They have largely involved a strain of influenza virus known as H3N2, which reportedly can cause more severe issues for older people and those with weakened immune systems.

The outbreak in Australia has health officials in America watching for a particularly bad flu season. In general, the Northern hemisphere gets in their flu season what the Southern hemisphere had immediately preceding.

Each year, a flu vaccine is made for the Southern hemisphere and for the Northern hemisphere from combinations of A and B strains. Committees of scientists consider which viruses are making people sick, where those viruses are spreading and how well the previous season’s vaccine protected against them. Sometimes, each hemisphere’s formulation is different, but sometimes they are identical.

Be Prepared

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses. While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the viruses that research suggests will be most common. The CDC recommends getting vaccinated by the end of October.

Some other preventative steps are:

• Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when your sneeze or cough
• If you are sick with flu symptoms, the CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone
• Try to avoid close contact with sick people
• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based hand rub.

The flu spreads from person to person in droplets that fly out when you cough or sneeze. These tiny drops from a sick person move through the air and land on the mouths or noses of others nearby. Germs are also passed along when you touch mucus droplets from someone else on a surface like a desk and then touch your own eyes, mouth or nose before you get a chance to wash your hands.

What IAA has to Say

Insurance Administrator of America wants you to prepare for flu season! Make sure to cover your nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. Don’t let flu season get your business down! IAA is here to remind you, that you can help prevent flu viruses from spreading.

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