Cathy Thomas

COVID-19 information and links to Australian Government resources

Start flu vaccinations as soon as they are available: RACGP ‘With COVID-19 spreading across Australia, this year it is more important than ever to receive your flu vaccination.’ The current advice is to start as soon as the vaccines arrive, given the flu is already circulating In a normal year, it is best to wait … Read more

Interesting article about last years flu vaccination incidence in QL Queensland’s record flu season killed five a week in 2019

Influenza Vaccine Composition 2020 – Southern Hemisphere/Australia The formulation of influenza vaccines for use in Australia is determined each year by the Australian Influenza Vaccine Committee (AIVC) based on information and recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO). A meeting of the AIVC was held on 9th October 2019 where the expert committee reviewed and … Read more

It’s a bad year for flu, but it’s too early to call it the worst ever – 5 charts on the 2019 season so far The impact of the flu on a population can be measured by looking at figures including cases, hospitalisations and deaths. From shutterstock.com Ian Barr, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and … Read more

Statement – 16 March 2019 The Immunisation Coalition (IC) recommends influenza vaccination as the safest way to protect the public against influenza. Influenza vaccine is funded as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for at risk groups, including people 65 and over, pregnant women, and people with chronic medical conditions. The IC concurs with … Read more

For those of us who are time poor, high intensity exercise can be incorporated into our daily routines. Shutterstock Emmanuel Stamatakis, University of Sydney Have you recently carried heavy shopping bags up a few flights of stairs? Or run the last 100 metres to the station to catch your train? If you have, you may … Read more

Child ready to receive measles vaccine, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau. Christine Stabell Benn, Author provided Christine Stabell Benn, University of Southern Denmark A measles vaccine protects against measles infection. By introducing a bit of weakened virus, the immune system learns how to deal with it, so when a real measles virus comes along, it can eliminate it. … Read more

An excellent article from the BBC explaining the benefits of a high fibre diet. The researchers, at the University of Otago, in New Zealand, and the University of Dundee say people should be eating a minimum of 25g of fibre per day. Have a read of this article and assess your fibre intake: The lifesaving … Read more