Flu shot numbers down this year

Ken Johnston
Editor

It’s been a real shot in the arm for saving the government health care dollars.
The free flu shot program in Ontario is the only one of its kind in all of North America and in its three year existence the Ontario Government has claimed victory in not only saving money but reducing the number of people getting influenza.
However in the Rainy River area numbers are down by about 25% this year over last year. Northwestern Health Unit Nurse Gayleen Jasper does not know exactly why there was such a drop. She speculates that, “Last flu season was less severe than it has been in previous years and perhaps people feel they do not need the protection.”
This year the vaccination is for the Hong Kong Flu. Health officials gauge what vaccination to manufacture and administer by what happens on the other side of the world during their flu season. They hope to hit it right and usually do.
To date the local health unit and clinic combined have done approx. 650 vaccinations. Last year at this time they had done about 875.
While it is not necessarily the flu that kills people, it was the 6th leading cause of death in 1997. For the most part the flu contributes to the onslaught of other illnesses as it weakens the body and makes way for complications like heart and kidney failure and pneumonia.
Avoiding exposure to the flu virus is very difficult as a person is contagious before they have fully developed the sickness. A sneeze from a person can spread the virus to everyone in a room almost instantly. “A sneeze releases it at about 167km/hr. which means the virus covers an area of 5 metres in about 1/10 of a second,” explained Jasper.
The myth that the shot actually causes the flu is just that, a myth. Jasper noted that it is impossible to get it from the vaccine as it contains dead or inactive samples of the strain, to help the body develop antibodies to the virus. That process takes about two weeks. However, a person can come into contact with the flu and not fully develop it until three days later. Hence if the person contracted the virus just before getting the vaccination it could appear that they contracted the illness from the shot. Usually the only real side effect of the shot is a sore arm for a day or two.
People who are allergic to eggs and the preservative thimerosal should not get the shot. People worried about other medical conditions should consult their physician before getting the shot.
The flu often lasts from 5-10 days and causes coughs and fatigue that can last for several weeks. This costs companies and the province money as sick days add up and the health care system has to treat people who are ill.
While public clinics have been wrapped up, Jasper said that the health unit and the clinic are still giving the free flu shots for about another month. People are urged to call ahead for an appointment.