
Australia Just Had a Bad Flu Season. That May Be a Warning for the U.S. - pseudolus
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/04/health/flu-australia-america.html
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Sendotsh
We had both kids in hospital from it, and at different times got it ourselves
too. We also had about half of our family and friends down with it at some
point in the season, and large numbers of workmates off sick (enough to cause
staffing issues).

It was absolutely among the worst flus I can personally remember having, and
staff at the hospital were openly saying it was the worst season they can
remember having in a long time.

~~~
TheSpiceIsLife
Aussie here, was bad in the south island too (Tasmania).

I was sub-par for over a month, started feeling better then down hill again
over night. A lot of people at work had time off.

Also had the flu shot.

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clumsysmurf
I panic each morning going into our little room used for scrum daily standup,
shoulder to shoulder, people coughing, sneezing ... just to repeat whats
already on the Jira board.

There aren't any larger rooms, and being out in the open disrupts other
workers.

~~~
craz8
Anecdotally, the team members in our SF office seem to take more sick time
(for being sick)* than the remote ones. Most take public transport, which adds
to exposure

I have an immune system issue, and am happy to be remote and avoid most of
this exposure

* ie, not scheduled medical appointments

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fyfy18
Bit of a tangent, but has anyone made any lifestyle changes that have had a
significant (anecdotal) increase to their immune system? I eat quite healthily
and do regular sports, yet my immune system seems quite bad compared to other
people I know.

~~~
jeffshek
Cold showers have helped me. I've already had a reasonably good immune system
though. I am on the weird side and probably take 2-5 cold showers a day
though.

If I feel a little off, I'll take Vitamin C and Lysine as early preventive
measures. The rest of my healthy habits are quite subpar. I exercise
frequently, but I eat garbage and I sleep even worse. Averaging about once a
year in being sick?

~~~
thewizardofaus
Cold showers are great for immune system. Been taking them daily for the last
3 years.

~~~
fatbird
How do cold showers benefit the immune system?

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nness
I seem to recall that Australia's 2017 flu-season was particularly rough, in
large part, because the strains that were chosen for vaccination mutated after
the vaccinations were produced.

(I wouldn't be surpirsed if the "anti-vaccination" rhetoric, which was
playing-up a lot in those years, might've also mis-informed some families
about the benefits of flu vaccination.)

~~~
sturadnidge
It was the same this year, there were reports in the media questioning the
efficacy of the 2019 vaccination due to mutation.

Anecdotally, there did seem to be a very large number of sick people around
this year (even now, in spring) although I’m sure 99% of the cases weren’t flu
proper.

~~~
jazoom
I probably did over a hundred swabs on my patients. I'd say the most common
was rhinovirus, then RSV and influenza A, then about 4 other viruses made up
the rest. It was certainly more than 1% influenza A. There was a decent amount
of influenza B too after a while. Parainfluenza came up strong later in the
season.

I got sick 3 or 4 times. I got the flu vaccination a couple of months before
all this really took off. I guess that confirms the flu vaccine caused me to
get sick (sarcasm).

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lostmsu
Me & my wife already got flu, still not through with it.

Should we vaccinate after? Or maybe now when it is still going?

~~~
jrnichols
Whenever you can. It's not always to prevent _you_ from getting the flu, but
to prevent you from _passing it along_ to others that can't take a flu vaccine
for whatever reason. Also elderly, children, immunocompromised folks.

You might have the flu and not know it and it could be deadly to someone else.

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patientplatypus
NYC checking in.

I've had this thing for long enough that it owes me rent. Fever for 3-4 days
and now like 2-3 weeks of hacking crap up. Worst sick I've had in years.

~~~
thelittleone
As a busy international business traveler, exposed to all sorts of virus and
bacteria, I've tried and tested a lot of remedies. I've found the single most
effective mucalytic is fluimucil (acetylcysteine). It's over the counter in
most countries. One tab in a glass of water like an alka seltzer. Symptomatic
relief in minutes. No drowsiness either.

Breaks down phlegm -> Reduces throat irritation -> Reduces coughing -> Reduces
spreading.

Once the phlegm is under control, it's much easier to figure the rest out.

~~~
patientplatypus
Thanks! I've been taking guafesin and claritin (helps prevent immune system
over reaction). Also on a "tea break" as that's probably not helping. Any
other advice would be very much appreciated.

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aaron695
If the anti- antivaccine community was less about the fun of bullying and more
about lives this is something they could address.

Legislative solutions include making it easier to administrate the vaccine
(Doctors try and keep the monopoly on this, requiring appointments and $)

It's also a classic issue of the vaccine for healthy individuals can be seen
as more a community benefit so subsidising the cost and/or requiring it in
high risk areas like old age homes.

Not running out of vaccines would also help, as happened in Australia this
year - [https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/flu-vaccine-shortage-
amid-...](https://www.smh.com.au/healthcare/flu-vaccine-shortage-amid-run-on-
private-market-pharmacy-supplies-20190529-p51s9o.html)

~~~
ceejayoz
In NY, flu shots can be administered by a pharmacist. No appointment
necessary, and mine's at the grocery store - takes about 90 seconds, and it's
$0 after insurance.

~~~
coolspot
Same in CA.

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rmm
We did?

~~~
ceejayoz
The numbers are right there in the article, if you care to look.

