A shot in the arm for winter wellbeing.

Flu season is here and everyone, no matter how healthy, is at risk of infection. Arm yourself with a vaccination, writes Paula Goodyer.

Did you know that the flu virus can survive for up to two days on hard, non-porous surfaces? This means doorhandles and any number of shared surfaces could be infected. It’s an argument for frequent hand-washing… and flu vaccination, says

Dr Clare Ballingall of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

“The best protection is a flu shot,” she says. “It’s like giving the body a photo of the virus so it can learn to recognise it and mount a defence against it.” A common myth about the vaccine is that it works by giving you a mild dose of flu, but that’s not the case, says Dr Ballingall. “It doesn’t contain a live virus, so it can’t transmit the flu.”

Unlike some other vaccines, there’s no one-off shot that gives years of protection. Influenza viruses keep mutating, so each year you need a new formulation to protect against the latest strains. This year’s vaccine protects against four viruses.

How good is a shot at preventing flu? According to the Influenza Specialist Group, an organisation of Australian and New Zealand flu specialists, it’s hard to say. It can depend on the age of the person having the shot, how effective their immune system is, and how similar the virus in the vaccine is to those circulating in the community. However, some studies suggest it can be 60 to 85 per cent effective in children aged six months to six years, and about 59 per cent effective in healthy adults under 65.

Peak flu season runs from late autumn to early spring, with a spike at the end of August/early September, just when you think the worst of winter is over.

In addition to protecting yourself through winter on the home front, it’s a good idea to have a flu shot when you travel overseas. While we make a point of having vaccinations against diseases such as hepatitis A, we’re actually more likely to encounter flu when we travel on crowded planes and navigate busy airports.

“The flu virus in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to the one in the Southern Hemisphere, but they’re not the same and the vaccines are different,” says Dr Ballingall. “If you’ll be away for two months or more, get a shot at your destination.”

‘The best protection is a flu shot. It’s like giving the body a photo of the virus so it can learn to recognise it and mount a defence.’ Dr Clare Ballingall, Royal Australian College of GPs