This year’s influenza season in Tasmania has been a “severe” one, as a particularly virulent strain of the virus continues to tighten its grip on the nation.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That’s according to the Pharmacy Guild of Australia’s Tasmanian president John Dowling.
Mr Dowling – who is a pharmacist at Coventry’s Pharmacy in Latrobe - said pharmacies across Tasmania had recently been experiencing “big demand” for flu immunisations.
He claimed that the strain of the flu virus currently causing problems was potent enough that it could still affect people who are immunised.
“It’s such a strong strain,” Mr Dowling said.
He advised Tasmanians to make sure they visited their local general practitioner or pharmacy to receive an immunisation.
The Health and Human Services Department’s public health director Mark Veitch confirmed that there had been 1536 “laboratory-confirmed” flu cases in Tasmania so far in 2017.
“The winter flu season started several weeks earlier in 2017 than in recent years, and notifications have been high since mid-July,” Dr Veitch said.
“The peak of the flu season usually lasts around six weeks, but influenza will continue to circulate though winter and early spring.”
Dr Veitch said the 2017 flu vaccine would, in fact, protect against the strains of the virus currently “in the community”.
The Tasmanian Health Service has a Winter Illness Plan in place to address the risks posed during the 2017 flu season.
The THS acknowledged that flu season put extra pressure on the state’s hospitals, with a greater number of patients being admitted for treatment.
It also noted that this time of year saw an increase in the number of hospital staff taking sick leave, thereby reducing the number of staff available to care for and treat patients.
The Winter Illness Plan encourages hospital managers to book leave for staff in advance, so as to avoid putting unnecessary stress on the facility during flu season.
Another component of the plan is a directive to transfer patients between hospitals in accordance with both their condition and treatment needs.
It is also true that the THS hospitals endeavour to open “flex” beds in busy periods.
This year, a number of extra beds and short-stay beds have been opened by the THS.