Counting the cost of having the flu in SA

The inconvenience of suffering from influenza – commonly known as the flu – amounts to way more than a cough, a sore body and a blocked nose: the medical bill you can rack up can reach as high as R4 000.

It is not only you who stands to lose a small fortune over the flu season; the South African economy loses more than R2 billion each year because of colds and flu.

This is according to research conducted in 2015 by the Global Hygiene Council.

The study, which looked at more than 9 000 people across 17 countries – including South Africa – also found that the average person misses 4.5 days of school or work because of an infection.

In 2014, it found that 91% of people reported taking some time off work or school because of an infection.

“The socioeconomic implications of colds and flu – including health complications, lost productivity, absenteeism and healthcare expenses – can be curtailed by avoiding the spread of these infections,” said the hygiene council’s Dr Kgosi Letlape.

Letlape said colds and flu were respiratory infections transmitted by a virus. “Although infections strike throughout the year, more people tend to be afflicted by colds and flu in autumn and winter.”

However, he was quick to add that, contrary to popular belief, colds and flu were not caused by the weather.

The biggest reason these illnesses were more prevalent in winter was because people huddled closer to one another because of the cold, and in so doing, increased the chance of passing on germs.

Influenza season usually occurs between the last week of April and the first week of July, but according to the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, this can change from year to year.

Nhlanhla Shongwe, a mother of two from Vosloorus, told Health-e News that during winter she spends more than R300 on flu medicine for her children.

“I do not take them to the clinic because our clinics are always short of medicine,” she said.

Steve Mabona, spokesperson for Gauteng’s department of health, said that for the 2015/16 year, the department procured 1 150 units of flu vaccine valued at R64 331.

“The burden of flu is high during winter, but public health facilities have enough stock and don’t run out of vaccines,” said Mabona, adding that the department bought flu vaccines at the start of each flu season.

These were given to target groups: pregnant women, pensioners and people with chronic medical conditions.

– Health-e News