Flu is set to join Covid as a major public health challenge in Victoria next year

Victorians will be urged to get flu jabs, as fears grow the virus could resurface next year, causing a catastrophic ‘twindemic’ with Covid.

Vaccination remains the best defence of Australians against both flu and Covid. Picture: AFP

Leading medical experts have warned Australia may face a “twindemic” this flu season, with the expected rise of both Covid and influenza in Australia to present new public health challenges.

As a result of reduced circulation of the flu in the community during the pandemic, Australians have become more vulnerable due to limited immunity.

Associate Professor and public health physician at the University of Melbourne, Nathan Grills, said Australia recorded the lowest number of flu cases in history during the past 18 months.

“We have had extremely little flu circulating in the community and next to no deaths,” he said.

“Restrictions on international travel, masks, social distancing – they have reduced the spread of all respiratory viruses.”

As a result, Prof Grills said Australia could experience a “rebound” in the number of flu cases next year.

“We are watching the flu season in Europe and the US closely,” he said.

“It will be interesting to see if it is a more severe season than in other years – we’re already starting to see a large number of infections.”

The return of international travel and reductions in quarantine requirements are also expected to lead to the importation of flu viruses back into Australia.

“We will also probably see a spike of flu in the country as people make up for lost time – socialising and travelling,” he said.

Medical director at Seqirus, Dr Jonathan Anderson, said the possibility of a “twindemic” would cause “significant concern”.

“Covid and flu circulating in large numbers at same time could be dangerous,” Dr Anderson said.

“It’s concerning for both the community and for a potentially overwhelmed health care system.”

Although sufficient evidence of the risks of contracting Covid and flu at the same time haven’t been published, Prof Grills it unsurprisingly would be “more dangerous”.

But, Prof Grills said basic pandemic restrictions that could stay including social distancing and masks may “blunt” a dangerous rebound, particularly as Australia continues to navigate through the new Covid strain Omicron.

Medical experts continue to call on vaccination as the best way to get ahead of the flu season.

“We will need to keep our immunisation rates up – not just for Covid but for the flu as well to reduce the impact of a bad season,” Dr Anderson said.