Key messages

When a patient presents to an emergency department or urgent care centre, they should be given the best available information.

This updated fact sheet helps ensure clinicians and patients have access to easy-to-read information about different emergency conditions.

Give this fact sheet to your patients when discharging them from an emergency department or urgent care centre.

On this page

    Please note that this guidance is currently undergoing review by Safer Care Victoria to ensure  the content is up to date. In the meantime, we recommend that you also refer to more contemporaneous evidence where possible. 

    Download our fact sheet to provide your patients with easy to follow guidance on colds and flu.

    This fact sheet has the #withconsumers tick from the Consumers Health Forum of Australia

    A cold is caused by a virus that affects the nose, throat and upper airways. There are more than 200 different viruses that can cause a cold. The flu (influenza) is caused by more severe viruses. The rapid changes in viruses also result in different types of seasonal flu.

    Patient fact sheet

    Get in touch

    Clinical Guidance Team
    Safer Care Victoria
    clinicalguidance@safercare.vic.gov.au

    Version history

    First published: July 2019
    Due for review: July 2022

    Related links

    Kids Health Info fact sheets - Royal Children's Hospital
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