As Australia settles into spring, experts are urging people not to let their guard down against seasonal illnesses. Respiratory illnesses continue to circulate among populations, with higher spring pollen levels also expected to trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. Here's what you need to know.
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TRANSCRIPT
Springtime brings warmer weather, blooming flowers and a less welcome seasonal visitor: lingering viruses.
That's according to Dr Michael Wright, who says respiratory illnesses like influenza aren't confined to winter months.
"We see viruses circulating in the community all year round. What happens in the colder weather is the shell of the virus is a bit more stable in the colder weather, and also we're inside a lot more, so we're in closer quarters, so the opportunities for the virus to spread are greater, but certainly, you know, particularly with influenza, we see it all year round."
He's the president of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and says the 2025 flu season was one of the worst on record.
Super-K, a fast-moving, mutated strain of influenza, emerged in Australia during Spring last year.
"I think what happened last year, we saw an emergence of a new strain, which was called sort of Super-K, and the vaccines from last year weren't quite ready for that. But the good news was with the vaccines for this year, they do treat that strain of the virus."
Around half a million people tested positive for influenza last year, with Australia recording nearly 1,800 deaths involving the virus.
That's almost three times the mortality rate recorded in 2023, according to respiratory infections data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Dr Wright says it's hard to anticipate whether new viruses will emerge again in September and October.
"I think last year we were unlucky that there were almost like two peaks. We had the first strain that came through sort of normal flu season, which was a big one in itself, and then this Super-K strain happened. So this year, that first peak has been lower. We're optimistic that we won't get another big spike, but we can never be certain."
The Respiratory Surveillance report by the Australian Centre for Disease Control found the number of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) cases had decreased over the last fortnight compared to previous years.
COVID-19 rates were higher than usual.
However, Australia is preparing to wind back its universal COVID-19 vaccine program, with free vaccines to be limited to people considered most at risk of severe disease.
Adrian Esterman, chair of biostatistics and epidemiology at the University of Adelaide, says new eligibility rules could leave some people vulnerable.
"The current definition says that if you have severe immunocompromised, then you can still get a free vaccine. But that's a very, very narrow definition. There are lots and lots of people who have diabetes and other chronic conditions who are at very high risk. They don't fall into that 75 [years] plus age group; they're younger than 65, for example. They would still really benefit from having a COVID jab, but they can no longer get it for free."
From 1 October, free COVID-19 vaccines will be available to adults aged 75 and over every six months.
For adults aged 65 to 74, it's every 12 months.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 to 74 will also remain eligible for an annual dose, as will adults who are severely immunocompromised.
"It's not going to change much for people who really need the vaccine. So, to give you an example, you've only got 25 per cent of 75 [years] and overs having had their shot in the last six months, 30 per cent in the last 12 months. And 65 to 74 [years], only 19 per cent have had a jab in the last 12 months. So, the issue here is that people who are at the highest risk aren't actually taking the vaccine; they're not going to get their jab. So, by changing these regulations, that ins't going to change that."
Catherine Bennett is the chair of Epidemiology at Deakin University and says COVID-19 should not disappear from the public health conversation.
However, she believes the focus should now be on effective communication.
"People need good communication to understand, you know, how COVID and influenza now compare against each other and what the risks are in the community. One of the things we don't have good data on is how many people who get a new COVID infection, particularly people who might not have had an infection in a while might still be susceptible to long COVID, or to have other consequences."
SBS News has contacted the Department of Health for comment.
It previously told the RACGP that COVID-19 is endemic in Australia and that vaccination policy should focus on maintaining protection among those most vulnerable to severe disease.
But it's not just respiratory infections.
Kate Miranda, the CEO of Asthma Australia, says springtime means higher pollen levels, which can trigger hay fever allergies and asthma flare-ups.
"It can be quite a dangerous time for people with allergies. So, it's one of the most common triggers for asthma and pollen season, is upon us. So, one of the things that we're always urging people to do is make sure that they're always carrying their medication with them and that they're using their preventer inhaler."
Nearly 2.8 million people, or around 11 per cent of the Australian population, have asthma.
That's one of the highest rates in the world.
Ms Miranda says the impacts of the chronic inflammatory lung condition can vary based on age and gender.
"Asthma is a women's health condition. There's more women that have asthma. One in five Australian adult women have asthma. It's the greatest burden of disease for girls aged one to 14 years and the eighth leading cause of disease burden overall. More women are hospitalised, and twice as many women die from asthma each year."
Hormonal shifts experienced during puberty, pregnancy, perimenopause and menopause can influence airway inflammation and asthma control.
Women also carry a disproportionate burden of disease, with 322 women and 156 men dying from asthma-related causes in 2024.
Asthma Australia is calling for increased education and awareness for the chronic condition.
"One of the things that we're calling on is for the government to include asthma in the Women's Health Policy Agenda and also, women are going to their GPs for certain other things, but they're not raising their asthma during these times. So, greater awareness; quite often, it's the thing that people mention at the end of a GP consultation; you know, they might have gone there for something else, then they mention 'Oh, my asthma's been playing up'. But we really want people to prioritise their asthma."
A message Ms Miranda wants to carry forward, no matter the season.
