Flu vaccine campaign kicks off tomorrow

The annual flu vaccination campaign officially begins on tomorrow (Nov 1) throughout the territory served by the CIUSSS Estrie - CHUS.

The public can now make appointments on the website monvaccin.ca or, for those without Internet access or who need assistance, by phone. For those with a chronic disease or the elderly, vaccination is an effective way to reduce their chances of getting the flu and developing complications.

"It is important that people with chronic illness feel comfortable with the vaccine because they are at much greater risk of complications and death," says Dr. Mélissa Généreux, public health director at the CIUSSS de l’estrie – CHUS, who also points out the importance of basic hygiene practices like washing hands often and coughing or sneezing into your elbow.

Who can get the vaccine offered for free?

Since they are more at risk of developing serious complications from the flu, the following groups are vaccinated free of charge:

- Children between 6 and 23 months old;

- Pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy;

- Persons aged between 2 and 60 with chronic illness including pregnant women regardless of the stage of pregnancy; - Persons aged 60 or over; - Relatives of children under 6 months and of those named above;

- Health care workers, especially those in continuous and direct contact with people at high risk of complications.

"This year, in order to make vaccination clinics more accessible and to be able to assign the professionals required based demand, immunization will be done by appointment only via the site monvaccin.ca," said Lyne Cardinal, Director of the Department of general services. For those without Internet access, you can make an appointment by phone: Asbestos - 819 879-7151, Exit. 39603 La Pommeraie - 450 263-0670 or 450 248-4321, Exit. 5044 Coaticook - 819 849-9102, Exit. 57302 Memphrémagog - 819 843-2572, Exit. 2666 Granit - 819 583-2572 Sherbrooke - 819 780-2222 Haute-yamaska - 450 375-8000, Exit. 2477

Val-saint-françois - 819 542-2777, Exit 55393

Haut-saint-françois Exit. 38498 - 819 821-4000,