5th Season Underway
Thursday, December 27, 2012 @ 3:29 PM
Prince George, B.C.- It is officially here. No, not winter, it arrived on the 21st. We’re talking about flu season.
Each region of the Northern Health Authority has now confirmed cases of influenza. Northern Interior Medical Health Officer, Dr. William Osei, says 1 to 2% of all cases being seen by general practitioners, are people with “flu like” symptoms.
The flu that is showing up is H3N2, and it is covered by the current “A” strain vaccine. “Last year we had next to nothing when it comes to cases of flu” says Dr. Osei “We got a free ride”. He says that situation was likely a result of the high response to vaccinations in 2010 when people were responding to concerns about the H1N1 pandemic. But the ride’s over, and people are being hit hard by this strain.
Symptoms include:
· Fever
· Sore throat
· Cough
· Muscle pain
· Tiredness
Dr. Osei says he knows some people don’t believe in getting a flu shot but stresses, “The flu shot is our best shot against the flu.” He says people also have to remember to wash their hands.
In Prince George, flu shots are available every Friday from 1:00 – 4:00 at the Northern Interior Health Unit , through to the end of March.
You can find details on where to get a flu shot in your community by clicking here.
The vaccine is available free of charge to the following:
· Persons 65 and older and their caregivers
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities
- Persons with chronic health conditions:
- Cardiac or pulmonary disorders
- Diabetes and other metabolic diseases
- Cancer; immunodeficiency; immunosuppression due to underlying disease or therapy
- Chronic kidney disease and liver disease
- Anemia and hemoglobinopathy
- Conditions that compromise the management of respiratory secretions and are associated with an increased risk of aspiration
- Healthy children aged 6 to 59 months
- Household contacts and caregivers of children aged 0 to 59 months
- Household contacts of someone who is at high risk, whether or not those people have been immunized
- Pregnant women who will be in their third trimester during influenza season (typically spanning November to April)
- Aboriginal peoples
- People who are very obese (those with a body mass index of 40 or greater)
- People working directly with live poultry
- Health care workers or other personnel who have significant contact with people in a high risk group
- Emergency responders such as police officers, fire-fighters, and ambulance crews
- Corrections Officers and Inmates of provincial correctional institutions
- People who provide care or service in potential outbreak settings housing high risk persons (i.e. crew on ships)
Comments
My entire family of five got this flu and as a nurse I can tell you it is really a bad one. Two of my family members had it go into their chests. I wrote the provincial minister of health and the BC centre for disease control to ask why my family is not eligible for flu shots. All school Children and their families should be eligible as this is where the flu, in my opinion, is rapidly spreading through our communities. I asked why my children can not get a flu shot but all of the inmates in BC can. I guess taxpayers and their families are not valuable enough. I did get responses from both the minister of health and the BCCDC but they were both inadequate.
There are lots of places to get the flu shot for a nominal fee, not sure why you think you ‘aren’t eligible’?
Stomach bug is running rampant right now. Flu shots won’t prevent it though as it is not the flu. Remember to wash your hands, it is a nasty one.
If you want a free one you can have mine cause I don’t do flu shots. When my body can`t heal its self anymore it`s time to give up the ghost.not that I believe in ghosts but you get what I mean.
Had the flu shot at work, like I always do, as we have two very frail, elderly parents who cannot catch the flu from us. Came down with those exact symptoms on December 15th and knew it was the flu!
I went to the walk-in clinic on Sunday and got myself the Tamiflu medication to shorten the duration of my illness and was alive enough to travel to the Coast to see those frail parents on the 21st, although I have kept myself away from them physically – no hugs and kisses for Christmas. I also had my husband and son get the Tamiflu for preventative purposes since they had been exposed to me and I didn’t want them carrying the bugs to the parents either.
Since I had the flu shot, whatever I got, was a flu that was not covered by that mix. The Doc at the clinic said I had classic symptoms of the flu but didn’t test me to confirm it.
But this is the first time I have been this sick with flu symptoms since I started getting the shots at least 10 years ago – and I will continue to do so. Catching the flu from me would be a death sentence to my Dad who has severe COPD and I don’t plan to give it to him!
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