Get The Flu Shot

Article about H1N1. Read, click and try product from the bottom of this blog under sponsor links. ^_^

Last year at this time, a monster called H1N1 was preparing to make life miserable for more than 25,000 Canadians.

By the time the swine flu pandemic had passed, it was responsible for 427 deaths.

This year? Nothing quite as scary on the horizon, but that doesn't mean you can skip the flu shot. If anything, last year proved why everyone should get vaccinated every year, say Niagara's health professionals.

"I have five grandchildren, and they all get immunized ... because I've seen the results of not being immunized," says Donna Kalailieff, manager of the vaccine preventable disease program with Niagara Region Public Health.

She calls last year an "anomaly" because H1N1 surfaced after the regular flu vaccine was already prepared. This led to many people getting two flu shots, and in the case of the H1N1 vaccine, a long wait.

This year's regular flu shot will include the vaccine for H1N1 and two other strains.

The first shipment of vaccines arrived Wednesday, and doctors can start giving shots immediately.

Public Health's flu clinic opens at the MacBain Community Centre Nov. 3, and at the Leisureplex in Fort Erie Nov. 17.

But if you don't want to wait that long, Urgent Care Niagara's flu clinic at 6150 Valley Way opened Friday. In addition, employers can arrange for a free onsite clinic so workers don't have to leave work to get a shot.

Tim Windsor, clinical services director, says there are about 12,000 people in Urgent Care Niagara's database awaiting word on the opening of this year's flu clinics.

As always, part of flu season is educating people what, exactly, the flu shot is.