With flu activity set to increase heading into the holiday season, the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is advising people to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Vaccinations are most important for high-risk individuals with underlying medical conditions like heart and lung disease or weakened immune systems, which make fighting respiratory infections difficult.
Those who are close to high-risk individuals should also be vaccinated, as flu-related complications can be life-threatening, and for some can lead to death.
Dr. Danuta Skowronski, influenza lead at the BCCDC, said now is the time to get vaccinated if you haven’t done so already.
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“Our monitoring suggests that the influenza epidemic will coincide with the festive period in a couple of weeks,” Skowronski said in a news release.
“Since it takes about two weeks for the influenza vaccine to induce protection, now is the time for high-risk individuals and their close contacts to get vaccinated, if they haven’t already.”
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In addition to vaccination, people can take further steps to reduce their own risk and decrease the spread of influenza. This includes washing your hands frequently, avoiding touching your face, coughing into your elbow and staying home if you feel unwell.
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