BC Residents Encouraged To Get Flu Shots

Wednesday, February 02, 2011 04:15 AM

Prince George, B.C. - The winter is long and the risk of coming down with the flu is not yet over...

And with that, the epidemiologist at the B.C. Centre For Disease Control is encouraging British Columbians to consider getting the flu shot. With the flu having already hit hard in parts of eastern Canada, Dr. Danuta Skowronski, says it would be wide to learn from the experience and prepare now because the same could still happen here.

Skowronski admits influenza activity has been fairly mild in B.C. so far this year, but says the season typically spans from November to April and the peak can happen anytime during that period.

Provincial health officer, Dr. Perry Kendall says, "It is not too late for people to be immunized, but for people at high risk, now is also a good time to speak with their doctor about how to get antiviral treatment early if they develop influenza." He points out that no vaccine is 100-percent effective and says, "As influenza viruses are constantly changing, it makes good sense for those at high risk to take additional measures to protect themselves."

As in past years, the vaccine is recommended and free for the elderly, very very young children and people of all ages with chronic medical conditions as they are at the highest risk of hospitalization and death due to complications from influenza.

Further information is available on Northern Health's website, click here.

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Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011 04:15 AM in Health by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Outwest on February 2 2011 9:27 AM

A bit more info DR. how many are down with the Flue back East, 5%, 10%, 30% or more or is it much less, I know the Flue is nasty but every Year the Call, run for the Hills is getting yo me.

Posted by: verballabel on February 2 2011 9:33 AM

Gotta keep those drug companies in business.

Posted by: Retired 02 on February 2 2011 10:16 AM

verballabel, you said it. They develop a vaccine for one type of flue and when,mit arrive its another type. But who cares we need to feed our drug producers and the dollars for medical care keeps shrinking.
Cheers

Posted by: porter on February 2 2011 10:25 AM

probably contracted for a certain number of doses and don't want them to go bad. Come on sheeple lets line up and do our part. What a bunch of crap.

Posted by: censored on February 2 2011 10:54 AM

I'm betting you two have never had a bout of the 'flu' to the extent that it can affect you realistically. Up until a couple years ago I to have a perception similar to what I believe yours to be (Outwest) going by your comment. I thought of the 'flu' as some nausea and a a bad flu hwd the added bonus of a bit of the runs...... all better in a couple days. Then my dad got the flu and was 'ill' and passed it to mom, when we called to see how they were doing they said oh don't come over cuz you don't want this flu bug.... None the less they sounded like they were having a rough go so I went by to see if they needed any help around the house. I was absolutely stunned by how ill they really were!! Next day I came down with it and honestly in all my 50 years I have NEVER been so violently ill. The vomiting and diarrhea (often simultaneous) was almost continuos for 4 and half days! My weight dropped 16 lbs in 36 hrs, 186 to 170lbs.

Long story short...... I get my flu shots now with no hesitations!

Posted by: Outwest on February 2 2011 11:26 AM

Who said it's nothing, nasty stuff but the Shot is not the Cure all that you wont get it. Some get the Flue even with the Shot, so figure this and I have no perceptions pro or con it's your Call only.

Posted by: dcfluid on February 2 2011 12:31 PM

Wow! The ignorance and misinformation displayed here is stunning. First a flu is a virus like a cold with similar symptoms but more severe and with fever, aches, chills, cough etc. Stomach ailments like Norwalk viruses are not flus.
Second, I am healthy athletic make who caught the H1N1 last year just before the shots came out. The respiratory problems with it almost hospitalized me.
Protect our kids and families from a leading cause of death in Canada. Get a flu shot. Get educated.

Posted by: mythoughts on February 2 2011 1:21 PM

I am educated & it's all a bunch of propaganda. There's no amount of money that could pay me to get that flu shot or any shot. I'll take my chances. When those of us who are over 50 were kids we all got the chicken poxs, red measles, german measles, mumps...and so on. We all lived and now my grandkids have to get a shot for all that. Why? The best vaccine is the disease.

Posted by: Brownshoe on February 2 2011 4:05 PM

more people die from smoking,lets stop that

Posted by: Give more on February 2 2011 4:50 PM

The U.S.Center for Disease control or one of the health overseeing bodies down there states in its own statistics that a person is three times more likely to get the flu if they have taken a flu shot than a person who hasn't. Interesting, eh?

Posted by: dcfluid on February 2 2011 5:11 PM

Stubborn, ignorant, hard headed, deluded, misinformed, rumor mongers,etc.

I doubt if any of the above can be convinced otherwise but here goes.
We are lucky to live in a first world country that provides these services for you AND the benefit of SOCIETY.
Immunizations have a long history of saving lives and improving our lives and longevity. Remember Polio?
I have lost a child to Rubella (German measles) because of the same attitudes displayed here were practiced by my inlaws while raising their children (my wife among them). Imagine my shock to find out the death of my son was because no MMR vaccine was ever given to my wife her whole life. Now that they are older and have had pneumonia and other health issues they are getting the shot....
It's not just for yourself, it helps society be healthier and more productive when people are not home sick or clogging up the ER.
I know people here can operate a computer enough to do a GOOGLE SEARCH.
Try this:
Influenza symptoms, Influenza vaccine, side effects, myths, benefits, etc.

Suck it up buttercups, real men aren't afraid of the little needle and fairytales about what vaccine did to who.

Posted by: mythoughts on February 2 2011 7:14 PM

It's all about choice dcfluid and I chose to not get the shot. It's my choice as a WOMEN.

Posted by: dcfluid on February 2 2011 8:14 PM

Freedom of choice is an essential part of a civilized society. Even the right to make a wrong choice. What is wrong to do is spread biased misinformation so others make a decision that goes against their best interests, or worse has a serious effect on others or the public. That's when we start to lose the right to choose, because that freedom of choice can endanger others and that is never a right. Just like choosing to drink and drive can not be a right.
But now I am rambling philosophically, go ahead and refuse to get any vaccines, just keep the reasons truthful, not fearful.

Posted by: HD on February 3 2011 7:05 PM

Not once in my life did I get a flu shot.
It's all bs, scare tactics sponsored by drug companies.

Last year there was all that hype about.....what was it called? Heck I don't even know the name anymore....I did not take that one either.

I'm still kicking and have not had the flu in over 20 years!

It's all bs.