Flu symptoms are worse than a common cold1-3
Flu symptoms are usually more intense than a cold and include a runny nose or sneezing, cough or sore throat, fever and chills, headache, body aches, vomiting and diarrhoea (which is more common in children).3
Most flu symptoms last up to a week but coughing can continue for up to two weeks or more4
Flu can be very serious5
While most people have fairly mild flu symptoms, for some people, flu is a serious disease that can lead to hospitalisation and sometimes even death.1,5 It can cause bronchitis, croup, pneumonia, ear infections, heart and other organ damage, brain inflammation and brain damage.1
284,000
cases of flu were detected in Australia in 2023.*6
*As of 20 December 2023
~5,100
hospitalisations are recorded in Australia each year due to flu.7
Individuals aged 65 years and older face a heightened risk of severe flu complications compared to young, healthy adults.8