Although about the same number of people have already been administered the influenza vaccine compared to last year, the flu is hitting Calgary hard this year, according to numbers released Thursday from Alberta Health Services.
So far this flu season, there have been 175 lab-confirmed cases of the flu in Calgary compared to only 15 at this time last year. In Alberta, there have been 279 cases compared to 52 at the same time last year.
“Whether this is sustained and how long this lasts we can’t predict, but it looks like it’s an early start to the influenza season,” Dr. Gerry Predy, senior medical officer of health with Alberta Health Services, said.
READ MORE: Alberta flu immunization rates up over this time last year
The numbers in Calgary are higher than those in Edmonton. There have been only 25 lab-confirmed cases in the Edmonton area.
According to Predy, the virus hit the Calgary region first this year before spreading elsewhere.
“When influenza hits the province, it starts in one part and then spreads from there,” Predy said.
READ MORE: Flu arriving ‘a little early’ in Calgary this year: AHS
The massive spike in Calgary means pharmacists are fielding more questions about the vaccine.
One of the most common questions, according to pharmacist Kaylyn Bassett, is whether a person can get sick from the flu vaccine.
“What people have told me is, ‘Well, you know a week later after getting the flu shot, I got the flu.’ That is a total coincidence,” Bassett said.
“Keep in mind that it can take about two weeks for the flu shot to actually become effective. So make sure you get it early.”
In Calgary, 60 people have been hospitalized because of the flu this season, compared to 11 in Edmonton.
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