Brisbane Flu
 

Planning our second trip to OZ and read in the British media about a massive
Flu outbreak over there. Is it over yet?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-hundreds.html
Derek.



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Brisbane Flu
 

"DerekF" wrote in message
...
Planning our second trip to OZ and read in the British media about a
massive Flu outbreak over there. Is it over yet?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-hundreds.html
Derek.

Derek, that is one of the most alarmist articles I've read in a very long
time. What it doesn't mention is the most of the deaths were elderly
patients who are at risk from influenza regardless of the strain.

The flu season wasn't anywhere near as bad this winter and it's basically
over now the weather is getting (very) warm. So if you're coming here before
our winter 09, the worst you're likely to get is bad sunburn.

Happy planning and have a great trip.
Mel

Brisbane Flu
 

On Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:58:56 +0100, "DerekF"
wrote:

Planning our second trip to OZ and read in the British media about a massive
Flu outbreak over there. Is it over yet?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-hundreds.html
Derek.

Hogwash alarmism.

First I've heard of it.

I live a little over 100km from Brisbane and visit the city
every couple of months. My brother lives in the Brisbane
suburbs.

There has been no more comment on flu in the Courier Mail or
the Gold Coast Bulletin than during any other winter; nor
has there been any significant change in the normal run of
coughs, colds and flu of those I know.

The only cold I've had myself this year was picked up in
Jordan, I got over it in Egypt and got a second lot of
sniffles in snowy London in early April. But nary a sign of
a sniffle back here.


Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com
Latest: Two Indian Hotels: to Sleep, Perchance...

Brisbane Flu
 

I work in the central business district of Brisbane in a university so I
have lots of opportunities to get infected from all those passing people
(and their kangaroos). I've been observing my colleagues and our students
dropping like flies from the flu in their hundreds every day. We've had to
bring in special squads to dispose of the bodies, specially trained kangaroo
body-retrieval squads! :-)

Seriously we haven't had a bad year for flu this year. Last year (2007) was
a bad year for flu but even so I think "hundreds" dead would be a gross
exaggeration. Individual deaths made headlines so while there were deaths,
they were still at quite low levels in absolute terms. A search of our
local Australian newspapers revealed the last article that mentions H3N2
says

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...53-661,00.html

and even that wasn't in a Brisbane newspaper. The last reference to H3N2 in
a Brisbane newspaper was before our winter commenced:

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...003402,00.html

I think the fact that there was no need to mention H3N2 through the winter
rather supports my impression that it wasn't a bad year for flu at all.

Nor do I believe that H3N2 had any particular connection in Brisbane. It
didn't start here. It wasn't particularly worse here than anywhere else. I
think you are just seeing sensationalistic journalism at its worst.

In any case, we are now in spring not winter. Temperatures are already over
30 degrees C on some days so the flu season (such as it wasn't) is now well
and truly over. So come on down ...

Kerry

Brisbane Flu
 

Mate!! It's summer already!

Flu??

A winter affliction!





"DerekF" wrote in message
...
Planning our second trip to OZ and read in the British media about a
massive Flu outbreak over there. Is it over yet?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-hundreds.html
Derek.


Posted Via Usenet.com Premium Usenet Newsgroup Services
----------------------------------------------------------
http://www.usenet.com

Brisbane Flu
 

"DerekF" wrote in message
...
Planning our second trip to OZ and read in the British media about a
massive Flu outbreak over there. Is it over yet?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-hundreds.html
Derek.
Sounds like a pommie backpacker who got deported for overstaying their
tourist visa and is now working for the daily mail as a health reporter
(qualifications: must be able to wash hands after going to the toilet). But
they learnt one thing whilst here "Never spoil a good story with the truth".

Brisbane Flu
 

"Mel" wrote in message
...

"DerekF" wrote in message
...
Planning our second trip to OZ and read in the British media about a
massive Flu outbreak over there. Is it over yet?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...-hundreds.html
Derek.

Derek, that is one of the most alarmist articles I've read in a very long
time. What it doesn't mention is the most of the deaths were elderly
patients who are at risk from influenza regardless of the strain.

The flu season wasn't anywhere near as bad this winter and it's basically
over now the weather is getting (very) warm. So if you're coming here
before our winter 09, the worst you're likely to get is bad sunburn.

Happy planning and have a great trip.
Mel


We are having our annual flu jabs on Monday:-) So roll on OZ.
Three Aussies have already put a denial under the article. I used to work
for a company that employed a lot of young Aussies and Kiwis. They and their
friends all seemed to get Flu when over here.Guess the damp London air
weakened their resistance or else they just took a lot of
Sickies.Backpackers are always reporting it as laying Dormfulls low when
they are over here.
Derek.



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Brisbane Flu
 

"DerekF" wrote in message
...



We are having our annual flu jabs on Monday:-) So roll on OZ.

Could it be that the flu jabs you will receive (wherever you are) are
against different strains of flu than the ones running around Oz at the
moment?

Brisbane Flu
 

That won't matter at all - since in fact there is no flu epidemic in
Australia at the moment.

The 'Brisbane' strain mentioned in the Mail article was a problem in
calendar 2007. There was just the usual minor flu increase in the just
finished 2008 winter (and flu season).

It's 34C in Sydney today. Summer comes hard and early in Australia.

Just be sure you have your SPF 15+ sunscreen.




"Gerrit" wrote in message
...

"DerekF" wrote in message
...



We are having our annual flu jabs on Monday:-) So roll on OZ.

Could it be that the flu jabs you will receive (wherever you are) are
against different strains of flu than the ones running around Oz at the
moment?

Brisbane Flu
 

On Thu, 2 Oct 2008 13:18:59 +1000, " A Mate"
wrote:

That won't matter at all - since in fact there is no flu epidemic in
Australia at the moment.

The 'Brisbane' strain mentioned in the Mail article was a problem in
calendar 2007. There was just the usual minor flu increase in the just
finished 2008 winter (and flu season).

It's 34C in Sydney today. Summer comes hard and early in Australia.

Just be sure you have your SPF 15+ sunscreen.

Agreed, but make that 30+:-)

Cheers, Alan, Australia
--
http://loraltravel.blogspot.com
Latest: Two Indian Hotels: to Sleep, Perchance...