Flu vaccine uptake in SA very low: 'People don't take flu seriously'
The City of Tshwane recently recorded an increase in the number of influenza cases.
Picture: Pixabay
Gugs Mhlungu spoke to Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health, Dr Noluthando Nematswerani.
Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.
According to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, every year thousands of people die of influenza in South Africa.
The City of Tshwane recently recorded an increase in the number of influenza cases.
Influenza or flu is an acute respiratory illness caused by a virus.
It is common during the winter season.
"... it varies from year to year in terms of the start but the peak periods are around June up until August but in some years it can start as early as April."
- Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health
Nematswerani says that it's important that we differentiate between the common cold and influenza.
"Colds are a milder form of these respiratory illnesses...so you find that you have a scratchy throat, you've got a bit of a cough there and a bit of a sniffle. When you think about influenza, that's when you get a high fever, you've got muscle aches, a terrible headache, people will be in bed. With a cold, you can be walking around feeling a bit uncomfortable but not really very sick."
- Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health
Health experts are warning South Africans to brace for a severe cold and flu season, as well as several potential disease outbreaks.
Children under 5-years-old, people over the age of 65, those living with HIV, someone with a weak immune system, pregnant women and those with chronic health conditions are some of the people who are at risk of developing serious influenza illnesses.
Nematswerani encourages people to get vaccinated; she adds that vaccines usually become available at the end of March and early April.
"We know that people don't take flu seriously. Our flu vaccine uptake is still very low in the country."
- Dr Noluthando Nematswerani, Chief Clinical Officer at Discovery Health
Scroll up to listen to the full interview.