Australia is still in the midst of a record flu season with many across the country experiencing what's been labelled as a yo-yo flu, where cold symptoms continually return, making it difficult to fully recover from illness.
But while it feels like a never-ending run of fevers, headaches, blocked noses and coughs, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Dr Nicole Higgins said it isn't actually the same flu you are battling.
"It is a group of bugs that we're getting one after another and they've got very similar symptoms but they are different germs and we seem to be getting them again and again," she told Today Extra.
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Higgins said the rate of yo-yo flu cases doesn't necessarily make this season worse than others, it's just hitting harder because of the change in habits the COVID-19 pandemic forced on everyone.
"That's because we were socially isolated and we weren't coming into contact with these bugs as much and were also wearing masks and practising good hand hygiene," she said.
"Now that we're back in the real world, mixing again, we're sharing germs as well."
So if you are one of the many who can't seem to catch a break when it comes to the flu - or the many strains of flu that feel so comfy calling your body home - there is one surefire way to prevent it.
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"The first thing is we need to prevent getting sick in the first place," she said.
"That means immunisation, get the flu jab, wear the mask if you're going out, keep washing hands and if you're unwell, stay home.
"The rest is about self-care."
See what else Dr Nicole Higgins had to say in the video above
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September 11, 2023 at 08:50AM
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Yo-yo flu: What is it and how do I avoid it? - TODAY Show
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