Australian Medical Association president Omar Khorshid says COVID-19-induced international border closures is probably the main reason why the nation’s 2020 flu season was much less severe than usual. Khorshid adds that reduced social interaction, better hygiene and higher levels of vaccination also helped curb the spread of flu.
Data from the Department of Health shows that Australia has recorded just 21,215 confirmed cases in the flu in 2020, compared with more than 300,000 in 2019. Likewise, just 36 deaths have been linked to flu, down from 943 during the 2019 flu season.
From The Australian:
