According to Alberta Health Services, the number seniors infected with the flu virus has doubled from 2014. Health officials say the problem is the flu shot is not providing complete protection against the strain targeting seniors.
“The vaccine does have some protection but not as much in previous years, exactly how much is still being investigated,” says Vivien Suttorp, Medical officer of health for the South zone.
According to the US Centre for Disease Control, this year’s vaccine only provides approximately 50% protection against H3N2. Still, AHS says it’s better to get the shot than to go without.
Others choose to avoid the flu by staying at home. Sharon Shockey lives at a seniors home and says so far, she has avoided the nasty flu, but many of her friends were down and out for the holidays
“ I understand they have been sick. I thought they were on holidays because I didn’t see them around. They all recovered though”, explained Shockey.
There has also been several more deaths linked to influenza . Public health has increased staffing numbers to fight the outbreak
“Our staff in public heath have been in full-out in the last four weeks, to try and minimize transmission in the community as much as we can” adds Suttorp.
Alberta health is reporting 22 senior homes in Lethbridge experiencing flu outbreaks. Suttorp says this is the worst outbreak she has seen in almost a decade.
“I have seen more outbreaks across the province in seniors homes than I can recall in many years.”
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