The good news in Tasmania these days is the fact that the children under 5 years old might receive some free flu shots before winter. The shots will become available at GPs all over the country starting with April. They will manage to cover 4 different strains of the virus. What’s more, the children who haven’t had a flu vaccination before will need to take two doses, set one month apart.
But Why Are They Taking This Measure?
The Minister for Health Michael Ferguson had talked about this in a statement they issued on Saturday. He explained that by offering this chance to the young children, they are diminishing the risk for them to get the flu. What’s worse, many children develop severe complications after they get the virus. For this reason, the government wants to make sure they are getting the required flu shot before winter arrives. This is a great solution for the people who can’t afford it either, since their children will get the shot for free.
What Symptoms Are There?
The flu symptoms usually include fever, chills, sore throat, dry cough, a running nose, headache, fatigue, muscle aches and pains, etc. However, there may be some or all of these symptoms present. In general, people recover from it in less than a week, but there can still be complications.
The complications, such as pneumonia, appear usually in older people. Those who also have a chronic illness are also exposed to such problems. If you notice any severe flu symptoms, or if they worsen, you should see a doctor. The flu diagnosis can be set based on the symptoms. Some doctors choose to confirm it with the help of a test of the fluid at the back of the nose and throat or a simple blood test.
