It’s that time of year. Time for Christmas music and festivities, snow days and…the flu.

With the start of November comes to official start to flu season. Fortunately there is one preventative measure all residents can take to make sure they don’t get or spread the flu this winter: the flu shot.

There are multiple benefits to getting the flu shot, as Courtney Langlois, a Public Health Nurse at the Porcupine Health Unit, explains.

“The benefits of getting the flu shot,” Langlois said, “one of the obvious reasons is to help prevent you from getting sick from the flu. It can also reduce the risk of flu-associated hospitalizations, physician visits and death in high risk adults.”

The flu shot is also a preventative tool for people with chronic health conditions.

Langlois explained that it’s important for adults, seniors and children to get the flu shot to help prevent them from getting influenza, which is a respiratory illness that can cause mild to severe illness and can result in hospitalization. The influenza virus is transmitted from person to person through direct contact and through coughing and sneezing.

Side effects to getting the flu shot are relatively mild. The most common side effect is a mild pain, swelling, and/or redness in the arm where the injection was given. Some may experience a mild fever or muscle aches within 6-12 hours of being immunized, and side effects can last for 1-2 days.

The flu vaccine protects against four strains of the influenza virus; two A strains and two B strains. But, there is a different dose protecting against three strains available for seniors.

“For individuals over the age of 65,” said Langlois, “there is a high-dose option available which protects against three strains of the influenza virus, which includes two A’s and one B strain.”

Langlois explained that getting the shot does not put you at risk of getting the flu, but it does take some time to take effect.

“Getting the flu shot does not put you at risk of getting the flu,” she said, “it actually helps protect you against getting it. However, it does take approximately two weeks to provide protection after being immunized [with] the flu vaccine. And four weeks for individuals over 65 who receive the high-dose option.”

And if needles aren’t your cup of tea, there is a flu nasal mist vaccine for individuals aged 2-17.

“It is a live vaccine,” said Langlois, “but there is a theoretical risk that the flu virus can be transmitted to an individual who is severely immunocompromised. So before actually giving this vaccine, we do assess to see if this person will be around people who are immunocompromised so we assess which vaccine would be the best to give them.”

Flu season is at its peak from November to April, and Langlois had some tips to avoid getting sick this winter season.

“So to avoid getting sick,” Langlois explained, “some things that we would recommend would be to ensure proper hand hygiene. And, also, if you are sick or someone else is sick, just ensuring that you cover your cough or they cover their cough as well.”

Residents aged 6 months and up in Timmins can get their flu shot at the Porcupine Health Unit during their daily flu clinics from Monday to Friday, 1 PM to 5 PM and every Saturday from 10 AM to noon.Residents can also get their flu shot through their healthcare physician or local pharmacy.

For more information about the influenza vaccine, flu season, and other health concerns, go to the Porcupine Health Unit website. You can also find out more about the flu shot by going to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization website. You can also visit the Immunize Canada website. 

 

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