Early immunisation was the best defence against influenza and its resultant negative impact on global productivity, according to recent European research.
Bloomberg.com reports: "the most significant cost of the disease is lost productivity and absenteeism, according to the European Scientific Working Group on Influenza, which found flu caused 203 million days of lost productivity, $11.6 billion of medical and other direct costs and $25.4 billion of indirect costs, such as parents taking time off to care for sick children."
Closer to home, in 2007 the Brisbane H3N2 virus "set off the worst epidemic in a decade in northeastern Australia," Nationally flu cases tripled the previous five year average. Seven children died compared with 2.6 deaths over the previous nine-year average.
The article also looks at the global tracking of new influenza strains and the effectiveness of vaccines and drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza, reporting that at least one flu strain is now resistant to Tamiflu.
Full story: Bloomberg.com
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