Laurie-Ell Bashforth | Special to the 51暗网
It's flu season, and yes, it鈥檚 still important to get your flu shot.
Influenza, commonly known as flu, is a virus. Heaven knows we鈥檝e learned a lot about viruses and how they spread these past months. We can take the lived knowledge we鈥檝e been given and apply it to seasonal flu.
First: Who is at risk?
All of us. A virus doesn鈥檛 discriminate. It likes to find its easiest route.
However, there is a group of people who are at higher risk for serious complications and severe infection leading to hospitalization. This group includes:
- young children under five years old (especially if they are less than two years old)
- adults over 65 years old
- pregnant women (especially if they are in their second or third trimester) and women who were recently pregnant (within the last six weeks; either having given birth or who recently had a miscarriage within that timeframe)
- people with underlying medical conditions (if you鈥檙e unsure, ask your doctor or pharmacist)
- people with a weakened immune system (immunocompromised)
- people who have blood disorders (e.g., anemia, sickle cell anemia)
- people who have neurologic and neurodevelopmental disorders that affect their ability to swallow and breathe
- obesity is a factor
- people younger than 19 years old who are taking long-term acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) therapy (e.g., children who have Kawasaki disease)
This all sounds familiar, doesn鈥檛 it?
Last year in Alberta, while in the middle of restrictions that limited gatherings, mandated masks, and reminded us of hand hygiene and cough protocol on every door, our flu numbers were greatly (almost at nil) reduced.
I鈥檓 hoping we鈥檙e able to move past government health restrictions in the future and move forward with health practices that we simply know keep us healthy.
So secondly: How do we not get sick with the flu?
We鈥檙e smart people, but change doesn鈥檛 come easily for most of us. The good news is these aren鈥檛 hard changes. They鈥檙e simply good health measures that can easily be put into practice. In so doing, you can help reduce the risk of influenza (and any other virus out there). Why? Because you can.
Here are some 鈥減rotect yourself from the flu鈥� tips:
- Avoid contact. The first step is to stay away from anyone who has any flu-like symptoms and to keep away for at least 24 hours after the person's fever ends. This also means if you have any flu-like symptoms, you should stay away from work and public spaces and call your doctor if symptoms worsen.
- Maintain strict hand hygiene. Washing your hands frequently is one of the simplest methods of reducing the spread of the flu virus. Proper hand-washing means washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Alcohol-based sanitizers with at least 60 per cent alcohol by volume can be used when soap and water are not available and when hands are not visibly dirty.
- Stay healthy. Eat nutritious, healthy meals and exercise regularly to keep your immune system strong.
- Manage any medical conditions. If you are at risk of flu complications because you have a chronic medical condition, make sure you are managing it as well as possible. Take all medications and follow all treatment options as prescribed. Your doctor may also recommend you get vaccines against certain diseases, such as flu or pneumonia. Make regular appointments as recommended by your doctor. If you are taking medications, make sure you have at least a two-week supply at home so you don't have to leave the house to get more. Ask your pharmacy if they have a delivery service (yes, we do鈥�).
- Get your flu shot. The flu vaccine is free. Vaccines reduce the risk and reduce the spread. It鈥檚 also still important to get your flu shot even if you already received your COVID-19 vaccinations. You can receive your flu shot and COVID-19 shot at the same time. The influenza vaccine provides different protection than the COVID-19 vaccination. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is by getting vaccinated every year. Health Canada recommends that everyone six months and older should get the annual flu vaccine as soon as it鈥檚 available.
However, despite all these measures, it鈥檚 still a possibility for you to get the flu. If you do get symptoms of the flu, see your doctor as soon as possible. Do not wait until your symptoms get worse. People at risk for flu complications should see their doctor as soon as they notice symptoms so that they can get treated - early treatment can reduce the risk of complications.
Let鈥檚 help you and everyone around you stay influenza free this season.
Have more questions? Ask your Pharmasave pharmacist.
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