B.C.’s flu shot campaign set to begin

B.C.’s flu vaccine campaign will get underway this month, with officials saying it’s just as important to get the shot this year.

Dr. Bonnie Henry, provincial health officer, said Tuesday they have not seen a lot of influenza yet, but there will be more cases than last year.

“We know with more travel internationally, and within our communities, that influenza spreads more easier especially amongst young children and can cause severe illness in young infants or school-aged children,” the doctor told a news conference.

Henry said flu shots will first be offered to higher-risk groups like care-home residents and health care workers, and then to everyone else.

“We’re doing a large push this year like last year. We know community pharmacies are really convenient places for people to get immunized against influenza, so we’ll be doing more about that in the next few weeks. And starting next week it will be broadly available in communities around the province primarily through physician offices and pharmacies as in the past,” Henry explained.

Henry added the flu shot clinics usually start in mid to late October, and the province has started to receive flu vaccines.