The start, length and severity of an influenza season varies each year and can be unpredictable. With this year’s influenza vaccine becoming available in early April, the RCPA is advising anyone who is eligible to get vaccinated as soon as possible. This will help to prevent serious illnesses, hospitalisations, and even deaths in the community. Professor Bill Rawlinson, Senior Medical Virologist at the University of New South Wales, and Fellow of the RCPA, explains what we can expect from this year’s influenza season.

“It is quite possible that we will get an early start to the influenza season this year. Whilst influenza is difficult to predict, it is important to consider the fact that we are now in a post-lockdown world where international borders are open and most non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as extensive mask wearing, have been or are being phased out. Following 2020 and 2021, when we saw almost no influenza, we emerged from strict public health interventions in 2022 and experienced a moderately severe influenza season with quite a number of cases. It would therefore not be unusual to see the same scenario this year.

“We have already seen cases of influenza in the community this year, mainly the Influenza A, H3N2 strain, which has been seen previously around a similar time. The advice is for all eligible Australians to get the influenza vaccine when it is available to them. It is important not to be complacent, to realise that influenza is a serious disease and to understand that the vaccines we have are effective against the strains we have seen so far. As COVID-19 will also be circulating at the same time, we encourage people to make sure they are also up to date with their COVID booster. Everyone in Australia aged 5 years and over is eligible for a free COVID-19 vaccination. The COVID and influenza vaccines are safe to be given together,” said Prof Rawlinson.

The influenza vaccine is recommended for everyone aged six months and older. It is particularly important for children aged six months to five years, adults over 65 years, individuals with other illnesses that can make them more susceptible to severe illness, first Nations people and pregnant women. The influenza vaccine can be safely given at any time during pregnancy and provides protection for both mother and baby.

“If a person had a 2022 influenza vaccine in late 2022, it is still recommended that they receive this season’s formulation of the vaccine when it becomes available. Although the strains are similar, they do continue to change each year, so it is important to get the most recent vaccine which is tailored to the strain. The more recently a flu vaccine is given, the more effective it is in terms of reducing the risk of serious disease, especially in older people and people with risk factors such as diabetes and severe asthma.

“We understand that there may be vaccine fatigue, but vaccination is hugely important. We hope that within the next couple of years, Australians will be able to receive a combined influenza/COVID vaccine which would enable people to get a single shot every year to protect them from both viruses. This combined vaccine is currently in phase 2/3 trials, and we are very optimistic about the results,” said Prof Rawlinson.

Progress with the flu and COVID vaccines continues. In October, Novavax reported that its phase 1 trial showed that a combined COVID-19 and flu vaccine was feasible, well tolerated and produced an immune response, including both antibody and T-cell responses against COVID-19 and multiple flu strains. Phase 2 trials are currently underway, and results are expected in mid-2023. Phase 3 trials would be planned for late 2023 with the earliest expected delivery date in 2025.