Flu is a tragic illness. How can we get more people to vaccinate?
A vaccine recommendation from a health professional and convenient access will make the biggest difference to uptake.
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Articles on Flu
Displaying 1 - 20 of 41 articles
I’ve always wondered: why is the flu virus so much worse than the common cold virus?
Why is it the flu virus is so deadly compared to the common cold virus?
This may not be the ‘biggest flu season on record’, but it is a big one – here are some possible reasons
By mid-August, the 2017 year had recorded more flu notifications across Australia than the previous five years. So why is the flu season so bad this time around?
How flu changes within the human body may hint at future global trends
New genetic technologies are letting us look at flu evolution right where it starts: within individual people, while they're sick.
Designing antiviral proteins via computer could help halt the next pandemic
This antivirus software protects health, not computers. Researchers are beginning to combat deadly infections using computer-generated antiviral proteins – a valuable tool to fight a future pandemic.
How do we choose who gets the flu vaccine in a pandemic – paramedics, prisoners or the public?
Australia needs to think about who gets the flu vaccine first before the next pandemic strikes and supplies run low.
Social media helps officials spot public health threats – but only for the rich?
Yelp and Twitter can help us spot food poisoning outbreaks quickly. But a new study shows the data favor some communities over others.
Flu vaccine won’t definitely stop you from getting the flu, but it’s more important than you think
As we head towards flu season, many people are wondering if it's worth getting vaccinated against influenza and if so, when. Here's what you need to know.
The number of new flu viruses is increasing, and could lead to a pandemic
How is it the flu has managed to stay around for so long, and why haven't we beaten it yet?
Millions of Australian adults are unvaccinated and it’s increasing disease risk for all of us
Most immunisation campaigns continue to primarily focus on infants and children, but almost 4 million Australian adults are not vaccinated against preventable diseases.
There’s a test that shows doctors if antibiotics will work or not – so why isn’t it being used?
Antibiotics are wrongly being prescribed for infections where they won't work and cutting this down could help combat resistance. But change isn't as easy as just providing the means.
How your body clock helps determine whether you’ll get ill or not
Stay away from viruses in the early morning – and in winter.
Health Check: what is the common cold and how do we get it?
The “common cold” is common, most of us will have at least one or two per year. Despite this, there's a lack of good research looking into it, and ways to prevent and treat it.
Why it’s still worth getting the flu vaccine this year
The flu vaccine – which prevents one from getting influenza – changes every year, because it is based on the strains of the virus that presented in the previous year.
Why statin users should still get the flu shot, even if cholesterol drugs make it less effective
While studies suggests that cholesterol-lowering statins can make the flu shot less effective, the vaccine remains the best available tool for reducing flu-related complications and death.
Take a chill pill if you want to avoid the flu this year
Cold and flu season is here, but getting worried about it might only hurt your chances of staying healthy.
Explainer: what is freshers’ flu and what can you do about it?
Emerging science could help us gain a better understanding of the annual phenomenon of students falling ill when they head back to uni.
Health Check: I feel a bit sick, should I stay home or go to work?
You wake up and feel under the weather. If you're vomiting or have a fever, the decision to stay at home is probably clear cut. But what if you generally feel unwell but are torn about missing work?
Health Check: when are we most likely to catch viral diseases?
Viruses cause all kinds of infections from relatively mild cases of the flu to deadly outbreaks of Ebola. Clearly, not all viruses are equal and one of these differences is when you can infect others.
Have you noticed Australia’s flu seasons seem to be getting worse? Here’s why
Australia's in the middle of the annual flu season and once again, it's claimed to the worst on record. But why is it that every season seems to outdo previous ones and how bad is this year, really?
Top contributors
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Professor (Adjunct) in Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Australian National University
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Laureate Professor, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity
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Professor and Head of Clinical Research, National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, University of Sydney
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General Practitioner, and Senior Lecturer, University of Sydney
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Professor of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Head of the School of Public Health and Community Medicine, UNSW
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Professor, infectious diseases and microbiology, Australian National University
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Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza
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Senior Research Scientist & Head of Antiviral Sensitivity Analysis, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza
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Associate Professor, University of Sydney
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Professor and Director of Doherty Epidemiology, University of Melbourne
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Senior Lecturer, School of Computing and Information Systems, and Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne
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Infectious Diseases Physician, Senior Lecturer, James Cook University and, The University of Queensland
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Associate Professor of Surgery and Cancer Epidemiology, The Whiteley-Martin Research Centre, University of Sydney
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Director Infectious Diseases, Austin Health
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Epidemiologist, Cochrane
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