Written 1 month ago by Angel Croitor

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Australia is recovering from a particularly nasty strain of flu called the H3N2 virus. Unfortunately, we don’t have a more attractive name like bird or swine flu.

Dr. Padraig McGarry, Chairman of the Irish Medical Organisation’s GP Committee and general practitioner in County Longford, spoke to Will Faulkner on Midlands Today about the possibility of H3N2 being our annual winter flu.

He tells us that usually what happens in the eastern part of the world transmits over to here subsequently in the winter. The virus is currently in Australia.

Currently, the HSE provides a flu vaccine this year that contains some protection against the H3N2 strain. Dr. McGarry advises to get your flu shots in early this year to ensure that you have maximum protection for your loved ones.

In this year’s bundle of strains included in our flu vaccine is the Michigan strain, the Hong Kong strain, & the Brisbane strain. These are what are likely to be the main causes of the flu amongst our area of Europe.

The symptoms are pretty much the same across the board as the usual flu we may get from time to time. The people who are more at risk than others are pregnant ladies, people over 65, people who have immune systems impaired and health care workers.

So make sure to take care of yourself, your loved ones, and help those who may need a little assistance to prep for the long winter months ahead by preventing them catching the flu and feeling poorly or worse.

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