Flu shots help us all

Should healthy adults under the age of 65 get a flu vaccination? Yes, they most certainly should, if you ask public health officials. “But why?” that adult might ask. “I’m as healthy as a horse. I’ve had the flu before and it put me in bed for a week with aches and fatigue. It didn’t kill me. And anyway, the vaccination doesn’t even guarantee you won’t get it.”

All true, of course. But consider this: Your flu might end up killing someone else. In fact, if you come into contact with someone who is over the age of 65 and living in a care home, your flu could kill more than one person.

Your flu could also endanger people with respiratory diseases, chronic heart conditions and compromised immune systems. It could also put at risk children too young to get the vaccination, pregnant women and their babies.

The flu is much more than just feeling under the weather. You don’t get “a touch” of the flu, as it is commonly said. Flu kills. Each year, about 3,500 Canadians die from the virus. It is estimated that the flu results in 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths in Canada each year.

Influenza is an airborne contagious disease that spreads by droplets transmitted through sneezing, coughing or talking. It can spread before you are actually showing symptoms or even know you have the virus.

Public health officials target higher-risk populations to protect individuals, but they want to reach as many others as possible in order to build “herd immunity.” If there is a high enough uptake of vaccination in the community, it can slow the spread of the infection and protect the vulnerable.

In Prince Edward Island the influenza vaccine for this year’s flu shots arrived earlier this month and Islanders are encouraged to get their flu shot to protect themselves and their loved ones. Vaccine is being distributed free of charge throughout the province at public health clinics, pharmacies, and nurse practitioners’ and physicians’ offices. In addition, walk-in public health flu clinics started on Oct. 9; call 1-855-354-4358 (4FLU) or visit www.princeedwardisland.ca/flu for clinic times and locations (no appointment is necessary).

Public health officials admit that the flu vaccination is not perfect because the strains of virus are always changing. Each year, they monitor the flu season in the southern hemisphere to understand which strains have affected the population. They use this information to formulate the vaccine that will be most likely to protect our own population against the disease.

“Getting a flu shot and washing your hands frequently is the best way to protect yourself from getting the flu or giving the flu to those around you,” said Dr. Heather Morrison, the province’s chief public health officer. “I encourage all Islanders to protect themselves and get immunized, especially those who are at a higher risk of becoming seriously ill from influenza such as young children, elderly people, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems or other chronic health conditions.” The flu shot is not mandatory, but we encourage Islanders to take the shot, because not doing so puts others at risk.