A Northern Ireland GP has issued updated advice to people displaying symptoms of Covid-19 amid a rise in cases of the virus.
Covid rates have been increasing since the start of September in the predicted autumn wave. Northern Ireland has also seen a rise, where the latest estimate for infections is 46,100, or one in 40 people, up from 23,100, or one in 80.
Northern Ireland's chief scientific adviser Professor Ian Young has said the only question is how large the current wave will be and what impact it could have on the region's crisis-hit health service.
Read more: Another Covid wave set to hit Northern Ireland, Chief Scientific Advisor warns
Dr Laurence Dorman, is a GP at Mourne Family Surgery in Kilkeel, Co Down and Chair of the Royal College of Practitioners in Northern Ireland.
"We are seeing a definite rise in Covid cases in our surgeries but we're also seeing an increase in respiratory illness such as children with colds and adults with chest infections, which we would expect at this time of year," he said.
Changes to Covid-19 testing for those with symptoms in Northern Ireland recently came into force with most symptomatic people in the general population no longer advised to take a lateral flow test.
Dr Dorman said respiratory infections, including Covid-19 and flu, can spread easily and people should heed their symptoms and take appropriate action to minimise their contact with others.
"If you have a high temperature or a cough, we would advise people to definitely stay at home and be particularly cautious if you have highly vulnerable or elderly family members," he added.
"Just listen to your body and use your best judgement. I realise it's very difficult when a lot of the symptoms are so similar. If you do test positive for Covid the advice is still to stay home and avoid contact with others for five days."
Previous Covid waves have been driven by the arrival of a new variant of the virus but this has remained stable for several months, with BA.5, part of the Omicron family, causing most infections since June.
The most likely cause of rising infections is fading immunity, because most people have not had a jab since last winter.
More than one million flu and Covid-19 vaccinations are to be offered to people in Northern Ireland this winter.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) said the winter vaccination campaign would help protect those most at risk from respiratory illnesses.
The programme is being implemented using a combination of GPs, community pharmacies and health and social care trusts, with the majority of vaccinations expected to be administered by GPs and community pharmacies.
The Covid-19 autumn booster is being offered to people at higher risk from coronavirus.
The PHA said everyone who is eligible for vaccination should make themselves aware of the arrangements at their local GP surgery, community pharmacist or trust or look out for the consent form for their children coming home in schoolbags.
"We're seeing some cases of flu and we would expect that to rise. Our national population has a lower immunity to flu at the moment because we've all become so good at being isolated from each other and we'd expect that natural immunity to reduce," Dr Dorman said.
"Therefore it's really important that everyone takes their flu jab and those eligible avail of the Covid booster."
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