It’s the most congested time of year – cold and flu season is fast approaching.
In order to stay healthy and flu-free this winter, a number of flu clinics will be held in Flin Flon.
The flu strain that medical experts believe will most likely be widespread is a H3N2 strain, an influenza A form considered moderate to severe.
Dr. Michael Isaac, the chief medical officer for the Northern Health Region (NHR), said doctors in Canada have a convenient window into what the upcoming flu season might like – how the flu has spread in the Southern Hemisphere.
“The Southern Hemisphere flu season happens before ours. This year, down there they’ve had a predominant Influenza A H3N2 year that was moderate to severe,” said Isaac.
Flu vaccines are tweaked and changed to better cover anticipated strains each year. Even if a different strain becomes dominant, this year’s vaccine provides protection for additional types of flu.
“We have H3N2 coverage in our vaccine, we have H1N1 coverage in our vaccine. Those are both types of influenza A. We also have coverage for two types of influenza B,” said Isaac.
The NHR’s flu-prevention strategy relies heavily on the vaccine and holding immunization clinics. Clinics will be held in 21 different communities throughout the NHR’s jurisdiction, including both injection and nasal spray vaccines.
“A lot of our activity surrounds trying to make the vaccine available. Vaccinating yourself is the best way to prevent getting flu from year-to-year and the virus changes from year-to-year. We’ve held clinics in the Flin Flon area,” said Isaac.
New for this year is a special high-dose vaccine, designed to provide extra protection to seniors. The high-dose shot will be available to long-term care home residents.
“That vaccine is essentially a quadruple dose of the antigen that would be in the basic vaccine and seems to work a bit better for those who are older than 65 years of age,” said Isaac.
Aside from receiving a flu shot, Isaac says there are ways to prevent yourself from getting the flu this winter.
“Hand washing is really important, making sure when you sneeze or cough you do it into your elbow and not your hands. You should make sure you stay home if you’re feeling really ill to make sure you don’t spread it to people at work or in the community,” he said.
Two flu clinics will be held in Flin Flon on Nov. 23 and Dec. 7, both at the Primary Health Care Centre. Other locations near Flin Flon, including Cranberry Portage and Snow Lake, will also hold flu clinics in the coming days.
