A worrying complacency has set in about the virus that is still claiming lives, according to former medical reporter turned academic Sophie Scott.
"There isn't as much public awareness and you certainly don't see the public health campaigns and the public health messages like we used to in the peak of COVID," the Sydney University adjunct professor told AAP.
"But there are still really significant numbers of people getting COVID and significant numbers of people dying from COVID, or ending up in hospital."
She warns many Australians risk forgetting how dangerous the virus remains.
"It's still a very potentially serious illness, particularly for people ... in their 80s and 90s and also in midlife, particularly those who have more than one chronic condition," said Prof Scott, who leads a new report detailing how Australians need to proactively seek early treatment.
Those in their 50s and 60s suffering cardiovascular disease, diabetes and asthma were particularly at risk of developing complications, she said.
Australians have become increasingly apathetic about the spread and severity of the virus, with many treating it as just another flu and adopting a "sense of stoicism" about infection, Prof Scott said.
"Some people think 'Oh, I'll be OK, I'll get over it in a couple of days. I don't want to bother the doctor, they've probably got more important things to deal with'."
While regular flus typically clear quickly, COVID-19 is "a very different kind of virus".
"It creates what they call an inflammatory storm in the body," she said.
"Other viruses can exist in the body and then you get rid of them pretty quickly, like the flu.
"COVID actually takes a lot longer to clear and studies show it can sort of lurk in different parts of the body after you've had it."
That lingering nature explains why some people develop long-COVID.
The It Only Takes Five report reveals why early action is critical for faster COVID-19 recovery and how a culture shift could protect millions of Australians over 50.
Commissioned by drug-maker Pfizer Australia, it warns that while public concern has waned, the virus continues to cause disease and death and many remain unaware antiviral medicines are available and should be taken within five days of symptom onset.
The report, which draws upon contributions by former NSW AMA president Dr John Gullotta, Flinders University professor Kate Laver and others, highlights a dangerous mix of complacency, ageism and misinformation preventing timely care, especially among older and diverse communities.
It also calls for clear public messaging and easier access to testing and treatment to help reframe COVID-19 as a serious but manageable condition.
Karen Hedley, 55, a business owner and mum-of-three from Canberra, has battled several bouts of COVID-19 made worse by pre-existing psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia.
"Each time I have it, it seems to get a bit worse and it takes longer to recover from," she said.
"My medications are immunosuppressants. They reduce my immune system, which means it's harder to fight it off and harder to get well.
"It can take a month or more to get back to normal. It affects my ability to kind of think, so it makes it really hard to work. I might only be able to work an hour a day and then I'm just exhausted."
Ms Hedley urged people to think beyond themselves when it came to the risks of infection.
"Even if it's not a big deal for that individual, it doesn't mean they're not potentially passing it on to other people for whom it is a very big deal," she said.
"Wearing a mask is just so simple ... it doesn't take a lot when it's a kindness to other people."
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