The World Health Organisation has declared the COVID-19 global public emergency over, but Canberrans can still expect sniffles, sore throats and a chance of gastro this winter.
The ACT is seeing influenza levels bounce back to pre-pandemic levels; COVID cases and hospitalisations are also increasing, and a less known virus - RSV - is causing concern among health experts.
Despite the rise of this toxic trio, we have high immunisation levels and greater herd immunity than in previous years, a leading disease physician says.
The viral three
COVID-19, influenza and RSV are a viral winter "package", Deakin University epidemiologist Professor Catherine Bennett said.
"They all circulate particularly over winter," she said.
"It [used to be] more predictable, now it's a little less predictable with more travel and strange weather all year round."
Viral illnesses spread more when the weather cools down and people opt to spend more time inside.
The three viruses can be easily mistaken for one another, with similar symptoms like sore throats, runny nose and fever.
One day there may even be a vaccine that addresses all three, Dr Bennett said.
A rapid test for RSV, COVID and the flu has been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration.
For now, the presence of multiple viruses can put people at risk of becoming ill several times over winter, or catching more than one virus at once.
"If we've got COVID and flu, it could mean that there are two types of nastier infections anyone could get," Dr Bennett said.
COVID-19
The ACT has seen uptick in COVID cases since early April.
There was a 6.2 per cent uptick in weekly cases in the seven days ending on May 16, Department of Health data showed.
This is low compared to the rest of Australia and NSW, which both saw a nearly 20 per cent uptick in the same period.
The ACT is likely to follow the pattern of cases in NSW, infectious diseases physician ANU Professor Peter Collignon said.
However, COVID-19 hospitalisations remained consistent from May 1 to 16.
This may be a clearer indication of how much COVID there is in the community, as testing rates can vary.
More cases will probably mean more hospitalisations, Dr Bennett said.
She said Australia saw an uptick in Omicron cases in the last weeks of autumn.
"It's not in particularly high numbers, but at the same time, it's something we should always be aware about in winter," she said.
Flu
Influenza rates are returning to pre-pandemic levels, ACT Health said.
There were more cases until April 30 this year than in 2022, but fewer than before the pandemic in 2019.
However, this winter will be unique in that while flu levels are back to normal, we also have COVID-19 to contend with, Dr Collignon said.
"It will probably be additive, flu will be probably a normal year and early, COVID will be on top of that," he said.
Viral illnesses also spread more during colder months in the northern hemisphere, so Australia saw an increase in the flu around March and April as people returned from travelling in wintry places, Dr Bennett said.
RSV
This winter, territorians are also at a potentially greater risk of catching respiratory syncytial virus, also known as RSV.
While lesser known, RSV is highly contagious and a common cause of breathing infections in children.
It has very similar symptoms to the flu, including fever, runny nose, coughing and wheezing.
RSV was becoming a more significant problem in the lead-up to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr Bennett said.
"We were seeing a steady rise in presentations with more severe illness, and so it was being watched," she said.
"It was something that was starting to cause concern.
"Combine that with all the disruption and lack of natural immunity from the pandemic interventions, and that caused [a post-lockdown] flare-up."
Because testing for RSV has increased in recent years, data of notifiable case numbers may not provide an accurate picture of its prevalence, Dr Collignon said.
However, cases are likely to increase in the coming weeks.
"Again, RSV is predictably a problem in early winter [especially] because we don't have a vaccine," he said.
Better protected
Despite the presence of the three viruses, the ACT is safer from COVID than in previous years of the pandemic, Dr Collignon said.
"Things are still not back to normal, but basically we are in a much better position than last year and the year before because 95 per cent of adults are vaccinated, 95 per cent of us have natural immunity as well," he said.
"[There are] lots of people with mild disease, and some people with severe disease but not as much as a few years ago.
"The virus will cause problems to people, while it's not an emergency in that the effects are going to be a lot less marked, people still shouldn't ignore it."
Being infected with COVID still puts patients at risk of serious complications, including hospitalisation, death and long COVID.
Influenza and RSV can also lead to serious illness and death, particularly in the very young and elderly.
Canberrans should stay up to date with the influenza vaccine, COVID boosters and maintain COVID-safe behaviours like wearing masks in crowds, the health experts said.
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