Health Officials say the flu season is off to an early start in the Okanagan.
In Kelowna, there has been 17 flu cases reported so far this fall; a massive increase from the four and two cases that were reported in 2015 and 2014 respectively.
Interior Health says all of the cases were of the Type A, H3N2 virus, which is considered to be the deadliest strain of flu.
That means pharmacies and clinics are busy as residents scramble to get a vaccination.
“We’re typically doing anywhere from 30 to 60 vaccinations each day,” said Zach Stevens of London Drugs.
“When people hear there’s a bad flu out there it gives them more motivation to come in and get protected.”
Kamran Golmohammadi, Interior Health’s Medical Health Officer, has also noticed an extra influx of people concerned about this year’s flu.
“It can be severe,” he said. “The virus has been surviving and evolving over the years.”
Golmohammadi says he understand that the vaccinations can be controversial, so he recommends that those who do not want to get the shot should stay at home while they are sick and pay extra attention to their hygiene throughout the next few months.
A list of available clinics and pharmacies offering the flu shot can be found here.
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