By mid-December, the holiday spirit is really in the air but there’s also something else in the air that you really don’t want to catch, and influenza and health officials say there’s still time to get vaccinated.
“The time to immunize is now. We know that the peak of influenza activity occurs towards the end of the year but it may take two weeks to get that protection,” said Piotr Oglaza, the medical officer of health for the Hastings-Prince Edward Health Unit.
The virus is expected to hit toward the end of the month and it will hang around until at least February, and health officials are pushing everyone to get a flu shot. The flu vaccine is recommended for those who are most vulnerable including pregnant women, children under five, seniors and those with underlying health issues.
Oglaza offers simple recommendations as preventative measures.
“Some basic infection control practices such as washing hands, covering your mouth, and staying home when sick,” said Oglaza.
Canadians could be in for a bad flu season as a deadly strain has hit in Australia infecting almost 100,000 people. It’s the most severe outbreak on record and countries around the globe are now bracing for the H2N2 virus.
Those basic practices can help to reduce the chances of catching the virus. However, if you want to get the flu shot, vaccinations are available by calling the public health unit, visiting a doctor or by visiting most pharmacies.