Flu Campaign Continues

Public health officials say it's not too late to get a flu shot after reporting today that no cases of influenza in the province have been confirmed through lab tests.

Prime flu season in Canada lasts until April, although there has been little flu activity across the country.

"The response this year to the flu campaign has been excellent, but there is still flu vaccine available across the province. There are still no lab-confirmed cases, so we continue to urge people in high risk groups, as well as health-care workers, to get immunized against influenza," said Dr. Rob Strang, medical officer of health in charge of the province's flu campaign. "Flu season is far from over, and the vaccine is a safe and effective way to prevent serious influenza-related complications among seniors and other people at risk because of chronic disease."

It's estimated that between 300 and 400 people die each year in Nova Scotia because of complications from influenza. In addition, every year in Nova Scotia about 20,000 visits to doctors and more than 2,500 hospitalizations are the result of complications from influenza.

Several groups of people are advised to receive a flu shot, including adults and children who suffer from chronic heart and lung problems or other chronic diseases. Household contacts of people at risk should also consider getting a flu shot. As always, seniors 65 years of age and older should also receive a vaccination. All of these individuals are eligible for a free flu shot.

Once again the Department of Health is also funding flu vaccine for health-care workers to encourage immunization for staff and volunteers who work with patients and residents in the province's health-care facilities. Health-care workers are staff and volunteers in hospitals or long-term care facilities and in-home care agencies, physician's offices or other community settings who are in contact with patients. The group also includes paramedics and pharmacists.

"In the 2000-01 flu season we saw a significant increase in the number of health-care workers choosing to be immunized and we have every reason to believe that the numbers this flu season are even higher," says Dr. Strang. "We want these numbers to increase every year because it's these workers, more than any other members of the public, who are capable of transmitting the influenza virus to people who are at risk for severe illness and serious complications."

This year's flu immunization campaign is a project of the Department of Health in co-operation with district health authorities, the Lung Association of Nova Scotia, Medical Society of Nova Scotia, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Association of Health Organizations, Nova Scotia Nurses Union, Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia, Senior Citizens Secretariat, Canadian Pensioners Concerned, Infection Control Association of Nova Scotia, and the Canadian Cancer Society, Nova Scotia Division.