’Flu shots up slightly this season

Having first got underway in late October, the Northwestern Health Unit actually has given out more shots during its annual influenza immunization campaign than in 2004-05.
“In the district we distributed 34,000 doses. That would be to all health-care providers,” noted Cindy McKinnon, program manager for infectious control for the health unit.
“And the health unit itself administered 12,250 doses,” she added.
At this time last year, the health unit had given out 11,900 ’flu shots.
“I think it’s getting to be routine,” said McKinnon. “You sort of reach a saturation point, where you have people that have made up their mind that they’re getting one or have chosen not to get one.
“I think every year, if there’s ’flu activity early on, or media coverage, it changes people’s minds. But we’re probably dealing with a fairly steady number,” she added.
“We still have people trickling in and we give the vaccine, if they request it. But definitely the demand has decreased [in recent months],” McKinnon noted.
She said the health unit’s catchment area has seen little verified ’flu activity this winter.
“We actually have had some confirmed cases of influenza in the catchment area and they have been the strain that was included in the vaccine this year.
“But the people who got the ’flu were not vaccinated. That’s good to know,” remarked McKinnon.
“As far as outbreaks in institutions in our catchment area, knock on wood, we haven’t had any this season. However, Thunder Bay has had one outbreak in one of their facilities,” she added.
“It’s noteworthy because as you can see from the avian ’flu, things travel.”
McKinnon noted although winter is over as of today, the health unit has seen ’flu outbreaks in April. She’s keeping her fingers crossed that isn’t the case this season.
“It’s been great. Let’s hope we can continue through the rest of the spring,” she said. “Then, believe it or not, we’ll start planning for next year in the summer.”
For more information on the ’flu or to book an appointment for a ’flu shot at the health unit’s office here, call 274-9827.
People also can visit www.nwhu.on.ca