Australian flu in Italy, first cases and alert for a challenging season

It has also landed in ItalyAustralian influencewith the first cases recorded in Lombardy and Piedmont. The reports don’t stop here: in Rome and Lazio, new episodes of flu syndromes are being analyzed, with the suspicion that they can be traced back to the H3N2 virus, the strain that brought Australia to its knees last season.

Australian flu, a variant that escapes immune defenses

Defined as an “immunoevasive” variant, the Australian flu is preparing to make its effects felt on our territory too. The alarm is raised by Fabrizio Pregliasco, director of the Specialization School of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine of the State University of Milan, who paints a picture that is anything but reassuring: “If last season we counted 14.5 million cases of flu-like syndromes in Italy, that is, including of actual flu, Covid, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other ‘cousin’ viruses, this year we expect the same values ​​or a little more”. The risk is that the spread of the Australian virus will lead to a further increase.

Symptoms: how to understand if it’s the flu

Distinguishing the flu from the other viruses that bombard us every year is a challenge. The actual flu presents itself with fever over 38 degrees accompanied by cough, runny nose or red eyes. And if that wasn’t enough, there are muscle and joint pains and a tiredness that pins you to the bed. For children, the “full package” may also include gastrointestinal disorders such as vomiting and diarrhea. Confusion with Covid is around the corner, but with the latter the symptoms can vary greatly, from mild irritation to not feeling anything.

The virus it is transmitted by air and those who are infected are contagious from the day before feeling ill. Adults shed the virus in the first 3-5 days, while children can do so for a week or more. The treatment is as always: at home, in bed, with lots of water and medicines to reduce the fever. Antibiotics are out of the question: they don’t work against viruses, and here you only risk causing damage.

The urgency of prevention

The scientific director of Simit, Massimo Andreonipoints the finger at the gravity of the Australian situation, where the flu has caused numerous hospitalizations and affected over 15 million people. According to Andreoni, it is essential to plan ahead: “We must somehow alert ourselves, keep our guard up because in Australia this flu has been particularly severe, with numerous hospitalizations and more than 15 million people contracting the virus.” The risk is real and time is short, given that the peak is expected between the end of November and December.

For Andreoni, the problem is not just the flu. The expert clarifies that, Since January, Covid has caused over 2,700 deaths and that its diffusion is not seasonal. The solution is to get vaccinated against both diseases, even simultaneously, an operation that GPs should recommend without hesitation.

Vaccination campaign: successes and obstacles

The anti-flu campaign seems to have taken a good turn, but there is no shortage of difficulties on the Covid front. Pier Luigi Bartoletti, secretary of the Italian Federation of family doctors of Rome and its province, confirms, writes Il Sole24Ore, a greater adherence to vaccination against the flu compared to that for Covid. Between August and September there were numerous cases, which currently prevents many from proceeding with the anti-Covid vaccine, explains Bartoletti, who also reports the continuous presence of respiratory diseases.

The flu vaccine is free for them categories at risksuch as those over 60, pregnant women, people with chronic pathologies and those who work in the health and social-health sector. For those who do not fall into the risk categories, costs may vary, but usually range between 10 and 20 euros in pharmacies, and sometimes GPs offer the service at a similar or slightly higher price, including administration.