Social distancing, and other measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic have already saved hundreds of deaths from influenza this year

There have been 36 deaths from influenza in Australia this year – only 1 since the start of April! Over the same April to July period last year, 550 people died.

This suggests hundreds of lives may have been saved by measures taken to halt the COVID-19 pandemic – including social distancing and a very high uptake of the influenza vaccine.