Malta's health authorities are bracing themselves for an influenza season they predict to be more widespread than usual and at least twice as widespread as last year's, according to statistical models the Health Department has been using for the last three years to predict seasonal influenza trends.

And to make matters worse, the predominant strain of the influenza virus this year is forecast to be the Influenza A virus, the H3N2, one which is known to be more severe than the other two types. Australia, in fact, has just battled through a particularly tough flu season, led by the H3N2 strain that hits older people and young children the hardest.

The fact that Influenza A is forecast to be the predominant strain in Malta this year means that there will likely be an accompanying rise in hospitalisations of the elderly due to chronic disease complications brought on by influenza.

As such, this newspaper is informed that the Health Department is taking a number of precautionary measures, including the ordering of 100,000 phials of vaccine, after 70,000 vaccinations were administered last year.

A publicity campaign will commence next week, as well as a vaccination campaign that will see health centres having extended opening times.

Moreover, elderly patients who were badly affected by influenza last year will be offered a vaccination service in their own homes, while all residents of nursing homes and hospitals will be offered vaccinations, as will all patients and visitors to Mater Dei Hospital.

Fortunately, the health authorities have ascertained that the seasonal vaccine for 2017 appears to be a good match with the circulating virus strains and no resistance to antiviral treatment has been noted.

Australia and New Zealand, which have just weathered their influenza seasons, saw notifications of the illness at the beginning of the season and at its peak that were 2.1 and 1.5 times higher than the previous five-year average. The more virulent H3N2 strain (Influenza A) has been the most dominant, with 69 per cent of cases, with a 31 per cent incidence of Influenza B.

As from tomorrow (16 October), vaccinations against influenza will be offered free of charge to everyone over the age of 55 and to all those suffering from chronic illnesses such as diabetes, heart, lung, liver or kidney disease and chronic immunodeficiency such as HIV or AIDS. As of Monday, 23 October, the anti-influenza vaccine will be available free of charge to everyone over the age of six months.