New family of COVID subvariants detected in Australia

Coughing, sneezing, wheezing, they're telltale signs of illness and of late it seems more of us are getting sick. 1 driver is a spike in COVID. I tested positive on Monday but I think it started on Saturday. I woke up with a a cough and a sneeze. More of us could be getting COVID again soon. That's because a new family of competitive sub variants has arrived. Nickname flush. They derive from JN one and before that Omicron. And they highly transmissible, dominating cases wherever they go. It could even lead to updated vaccines at some stage. What these variants are doing is they're just becoming better at at navigating past and around. It's not that anybody's aren't binding, but the the virus is just becoming a little bit slippier. While more of us are likely to get it. These variants cause less severe disease than earlier ones. The problem is a number of respiratory illnesses are also circulating, including the flu, whooping cough, so-called walking pneumonia and RSV. Carmel suspects she's had a double whammy. I thought I'd probably knowing my luck, had a combination of the flu and COVID. All that illness could add pressure to our care systems. There will be more flu, there is a little bit more RSV that the the coincidence of these three respiratory illnesses do pose some particular challenges to healthcare systems, to aged care. One of the effects is obviously people who get sick and need hospital care, but one of the other effects is in terms of impacts upon our staff as well. A timely reminder to be COVID safe. I would do take the opportunity to encourage people who haven't been vaccinated for either flu or keep up to date with their COVID boosters to please do so and maybe treat yourself to some new face masks.