Can we avoid a Covid and flu surge this winter?

Covid-19 case numbers are ticking up and up as we head into the colder months of the year. And while vaccinations and prior infection do give us some level of protection, immunity is waning, and we now face the threat of new variants. On top of this, the old threats of influenza and RSV will also waft through schools, offices and restaurants around the country in the coming months. So, are we prepared for what’s heading our way? How dangerous are the new variants of Covid-19? And is enough being done to ensure New Zealanders get their boosters?   Today, Dr Jemma Geoghegan, an infectious disease specialist from Otago University, joins Damien to give a sense of the viruses set to threaten our health this winter. Follow The Front Page on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can read more about this and other stories in the New Zealand Herald, online at nzherald.co.nz, or tune in to news bulletins across the NZME network. Host: Damien VenutoProducer: Shaun D WilsonExecutive Producer: Ethan SillsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.