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More Albertans should be getting the flu shot: health officials

Alberta health officials are urging more people to get the flu shot.
Alberta health officials are urging more people to get the flu shot. Calgary Herald/Canadian Press

EDMONTON – Alberta health officials say not enough people are rolling up their sleeves for a free flu shot.

Dr. Gerry Predy, senior medical officer of health, says so far this season more than 950,000 doses of flu vaccine have been administered.

He says that’s a good start, but thousands of people remain without protection.

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As of last Saturday, the province has reported 66 cases of influenza, including 19 people who had to be hospitalized.

Flu activity in Alberta is listed as sporadic and most cases are in the southern half of the province.

The Alberta government hopes 40 per cent of people eligible for the shot will get immunized.

Last year, 101 people died in the province of flu-related causes.

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“Albertans need to get immunized to protect themselves and their friends and family,” Predy said Thursday in a release.

The latest Public Health Agency of Canada report says flu activity across Canada in the last week of November was significantly lower than previous seasons.

The agency says most cases involve people who are older than 65.

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