We are rounding the corner to flu season; shots available near end of October

The cold weather has finally rolled in, and with it, we’re almost at flu season.

Getting a simple case of the flu can end up with complications, such as pneumonia. According to Ontario.ca, the flu causes 12,200 hospitalizations a year in Canada.

“Often people say, ‘oh I feel like I got hit by a tonne of bricks.’ That it just wipes you out, you’re exhausted, your muscles are aching, not really like anything you’ve felt before. Quite a bit of a much more severe infection, many people will have a fever, the cough, the respiratory symptoms,” explains Dr. Michelle Murti with Public Health Ontario.

You typically won’t see flu symptoms until 1 to 4 days after you’ve been exposed to the virus, making it important to stay home when you are feeling ill. Other symptoms include runny nose, sore throat, headache, loss of appetite and chills.

“As people are thinking about what they can do to keep healthy, the general things like eating well, still exercising, sleeping well, we want to think about how we can be preventing types of respiratory infection, so, washing your hands, making sure you stay home when you’re sick, but along with that, one of the most important things you can do is get your flu shot,” adds Dr. Murti.

The flu shot is considered the best defense against the flu, and is free at pharmacies and clinics across the province.

“It really primes your immune system, so, when you become in contact with that influenza virus, your body can recognize it and say ‘oh I’ve seen you before,’ and be a little bit more ready to defend your body against that influenza virus.”

Dr. Murti adds that getting the flu shot can keep you from getting sick at all, or at least give you a less severe case of the flu.

Flu shots are available at the end of October.

For more information, click here.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today