Brits have been hit with 'summer flu' despite hot weather - here's why
Ah, summertime - the season of sun-kissed skin, warm breezes, nose freckles, Aperol spritzes, sandy toes, beer gardens and staying out until the sky itself forgets what time it is.
So why, then, does everyone seem to feel like death?
The UK might finally be delivering the kind of weather we've spent the last nine months begging for, but a rather less welcome seasonal tradition appears to be thriving, something sufferers are describing as a 'summer lurgy'.
We're talking snotty noses, razor-blade throats, migraines, aches that penetrate right to the bone, and the sort of cough that makes you wonder if your lungs have packed in altogether.
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According to Google Trends, searches for the phrase 'can you get the flu in summer?' have surged by 5,000 per cent.
'But it's 34 degrees out', I hear you say. I'm well aware - as are my 'swoobies' - but that doesn't explain why every man and his dog seems to be suffering from a mystery illness usually associated with the darkest, dampest depths of December.
Is it COVID-19? Hay fever? Is it all down to having the fan on full-blast all the bloody time?
Apparently, it's a mix - a sickening cocktail of bogies, phlegm and sweat.
Discussing the phenomenon, Dr Greenyer, a private doctor at the Health Suite, told MyLondon: "Throughout the year, there are multiple viruses that come and go, and often, there can be clusters.
"So certain viruses may cause a cluster of cases, which we may be seeing at the moment in London."
He added: "COVID is one of many viruses that circulate through the natural population every year.
"With these viruses, you can't tell initially what it is because there's a lot of crossover with symptoms. Most viruses cause symptoms such as muscle aches, high temperatures, and fever; these are just symptoms of feeling unwell."
Dr Greenyer continued: "It's hard to pin down a particular virus without getting tested, but as most patients get better with no treatment, they don't get tested. It's usually only the patients who are very unwell and are admitted to the hospital who get tested.
"In 2020, we had a particularly severe strain that obviously caused a lot of health problems across the nation. However, is there something specific we should worry about with summer colds?
"No, not specifically. It could be viruses like COVID, among other things. General medical advice would be good self-care, get plenty of rest, fluids, a balanced diet, because all these things help the body to heal, regardless of what the cause is."
Apparently, Americans are currently enduring a similarly uncomfortable situation.
Dr Erica Pan, director of the California Department of Public Health, is advising her patients and pals to stay on top of their vaccinations, claiming she's observed a surge in flus caused by people flocking indoors to environments that have air conditioning, which has caused the spread of germs.
"Anyone who hasn’t received a 2025-26 dose, or is due for the second dose, is encouraged to get vaccinated now, before the next COVID-19 surge," she warned. "Disease is on the rise in California, where we’re seeing increasing cases, increasing test positivity, increasing in our wastewater."
She went on to tell The Los Angeles Times: "This is a good time, actually, to protect yourselves or your family, because we anticipate, based on the last couple of years at least, that this may be the larger peak than the winter."
Rhianna Benson