TORONTO – It will soon be time to roll up your sleeve for the seasonal flu shot – and public health physicians say Canadians shouldn’t shy away because of last year’s ineffective vaccine.
The World Health Organization picks which strains to include each February to allow time for manufacturers to produce vaccine for the coming winter.
READ MORE: A first for flu season: a new, more robust four-strain vaccine
Last year, there was a vaccine mismatch because one of the viruses had mutated by the time the flu season got underway in late fall.
Dr. Bryna Warshawsky of Public Health Ontario says it’s important to realize that last year’s vaccine doesn’t predict the effectiveness of this season’s shot.
She says the 2014-15 vaccine mismatch was an anomaly compared to past years.
Public health officials advise everyone to get inoculated, but they say it’s especially critical for the elderly and people with underlying health conditions who can die from influenza.
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