High rates of respiratory illness such as the flu are being recorded across Dumfries and Galloway.
NHS Scotland is advising people to avoid mixing with others, stay at home and take simple measures to care for those who are most vulnerable.
Consultant in public health, Dr Andrew Rideout, said: “After years of living with Covid-19, we are all pleased to see a reduction in the measures that we have to follow to prevent the spread of infection.
“However, this winter we are still seeing a number of respiratory infections that are causing significant problems in our communities.”
He added: “Covid-19 is still here and numbers are starting to increase. Flu is here in numbers that we haven’t seen for many years, and recently we have seen the impact of Strep A infections throughout our communities.
“All of these are affecting individuals, communities, care homes and the wider NHS system but the measures that we learned during the pandemic are effective against any respiratory illness.”
Several steps can be taken to avoid getting the flu, including washing hands to not pass the infection to surfaces and other people.
When coughing or sneezing people are advised to cover their mouth and nose. It is also recommended to drink plenty of water, take an over the counter medication such as paracetamol and take time to rest and recover.
For help and advice, the NHS inform website is available with no waiting queues. The NHS 24 111 service is also available by telephone.
Locally within communities, there are also places where people can seek help, from their GP service to the community pharmacy. The staff there can offer treatments, give advice and direct people to other services.
Dr Rideout said: “What might be a mild illness for someone healthy can be a much more serious illness for someone who has other health problems or is young or very elderly, so please don’t just think about yourself, think about those people you might be mixing with and passing the infection onto.”
