WINNIPEG — As the influenza season winds down, Manitoba Health said it appears the flu vaccine worked well, especially compared to last year.
H1N1 became the dominant strain this year, and the virus peaked in the first couple of weeks in March. The flu tends to affect the younger population, and more people under the age of 65 end up hospitalized.
This year, as of April 16, Manitoba Health said a total of 270 people were hospitalized, 76 were admitted to intensive care and 20 people died.
READ MORE: H1N1 on the rise in Manitoba
Medical Officer of Health Tim Hilderman told 680 CJOB News the vaccine worked fairly well.
“Substantially better than last year, at least in terms of the interim estimates, putting the vaccine efficacy somewhere between 60 and 70 per cent as opposed to last year when it was really ineffective,” Hilderman said.
The performance of last year’s flu shot was low, and as a result, health officials were worried it would deter people from getting one this year. Early estimates show the vaccination rate is very similar, at about 22 per cent.
With files from 680 CJOB’s Kim Lawson
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