Communicate the facts, we as a population didn't care much about the 900 influenza deaths, but we sweat on modelling that proposes greater metrics with Covid but managed do not seem to be as forecasted.
Be clear if a person dies of old age butis covid + it is recorded as a covid death. Research the definition of a covid death.
In the first five months of 2019 — a particularly severe flu season — the national total of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases reached 74,176.
But Immunisation Coalition data shows the number of cases in 2020 has plummeted since coronavirus lockdowns were introduced — from 20,032 cases in the first three months, to 504 in April and May.
Australian Medical Association (AMA) SA president Dr Chris Moy said the number of flu deaths prevented since the coronavirus pandemic began was probably "quite significant".
"It may have, up to this point, saved more people than it's actually killed, and certainly the response to COVID has actually saved a lot of people," he said.
"The only proviso to that is that it is possible that we may have actually delayed an [influenza] outbreak.
"But I think [the number] will still be less, because we have a far more highly immunised population this year than we have had in previous years."
For the latest news on the COVID-19 pandemic read our coronavirus update story.
Last year, there were over 900 influenza-linked deaths in Australia
