Queensland experts are bracing for a double whammy of COVID-19 and flu as the weather cools down leading into winter and international borders reopen, putting even more pressure on the state's stretched hospital system.
International arrivals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 were allowed into Queensland from 1:00am today without having to quarantine.
The border reopening comes in the same week as the US Centers for Disease Control issued a travel warning for Australia, triggered by the "very high" level risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus here.
Overseas travellers into Queensland will still be expected to do a rapid antigen test (RAT) for SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — within 24 hours of their arrival.
While Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she did not expect the reopening of Queensland's international borders to increase the amount of COVID-19 virus circulating in the state — given travellers are currently more likely to contract the infection in Australia than overseas — experts expect it will open the door to more flu cases.
The anticipation of a flu resurgence in 2022 comes after border closures during the coronavirus pandemic, combined with other public health measures, have kept influenza numbers low, with just 296 flu cases recorded in Queensland last year and 6,047 in 2020.
That compares with 2019, an extremely bad flu season, when 68,151 infections were confirmed in Queensland.
So far this year, just two Queensland cases of influenza have been notified to health authorities, but that is expected to jump with the international border reopening.
While acknowledging Queenslanders may be vaccine fatigued after months of ongoing public health campaigns focused on the importance of getting their three COVID-19 jabs, Griffith University virologist Lara Herrero urged people against complacency when it comes to getting this year's flu shot.
Flu vaccines are expected to be available from March or April.
"It's not just COVID that we are likely to battle this winter — we need to understand that flu viruses and coronaviruses are very different," Dr Herrero said.
"Hopefully, people remember to get their flu vaccines."
Combined vaccine not available yet
With the Queensland peak of COVID-19's Omicron wave still not expected until next month, infectious disease physician Paul Griffin warned that SARS-CoV-2 would continue to circulate after the surge.
"I think a lot of people's expectations are that we'll get to the other side of this Omicron peak and it's all smooth sailing from there," Dr Griffin said.
Dr Griffin said clinical trials were underway to test combined flu and COVID-19 vaccines, but until an effective product was available, people would have to remain vigilant about getting a separate influenza shot on top of their coronavirus jabs.
"It's always impossible to have a firm timeline, but I wouldn't be surprised if there's perhaps combined options by the end of this year, or early next year," he said.
Dr Herrero said if the coronavirus pandemic had brought with it one blessing, it had educated much of the world about how to better protect themselves from viral diseases, including the flu.
Apart from vaccination, Dr Herrero urged people to continue to socially distance, wear masks indoors, to stay home if unwell, and to frequently wash their hands or use hand sanitiser to protect themselves against both COVID-19 and the flu.
Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard yesterday said 855 people were in state hospitals with COVID-19.
That number is expected to rise into the thousands at the height of the Omicron wave.
Dr Herrero urged people to "be kind" to essential health workers as they toiled under exceptional circumstances in the coming months.
"We can't underestimate the impact it's having," she said.
