MONCTON – In the hustle and bustle of preparing for the holidays, it’s not uncommon to see a spike in flu activity as people gather and socialize more.
Gilbert Fegan, 81, is determined to do whatever he can to not to get sick this season. He just got out of the hospital after suffering from a nasty lung infection and is steering clear of sick people.
Fegan, who also has lung disease, got his flu shot earlier in the fall. He was hoping it would keep him from getting sick for Christmas, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, there’s only about a 50 per cent chance it will work this season.
Lund says H3N2, the strain most prevalent this year, has mutated since the vaccines were produced, so the shot is less effective. However, she still recommends people get the shot heading into the holidays.
“It’s hard to know what strain you are going to be exposed to,” she said, adding that it takes about two weeks to be effective.
She said people should take precautions to help keep from getting sick.
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