Now that Flu (Influenza) season is once again nearing our doorsteps, the criteria for eligibility has been reviewed and amended by Québéc immunization experts.
A recent report states that this team has analyzed data from recent studies, the current data on vaccine efficacy and the possible impact of repeated vaccination prior to determining their now updated recommendations. Based upon their findings,"healthy children" aged 6 to 23 months and "healthy people" aged 60 to 74 will no longer be determined as high risk individuals because findings concluded that these 2 groups do not have a higher risk of flu-related hospitalization and death when compared to the rest of Québec’s "healthy" population.
Moreover, the provincial document stated that only 1 in 5 children was given the flu vaccine, which to them suggests that flu vaccination is not widely accepted by parents or health professionals.
They also mention that several other countries do not recommend vaccination in this age group.
Influenza A continues to be the most common influenza virus circulating in Canada. To date this season, 48,818 laboratory-confirmed influenza detections have been reported according to Health Canada statistics. (2018-2019)
People at most risk for complications include:
Babies younger than 6 months old
Children and people with chronic diseases
Pregnant women who have certain chronic diseases, throughout their pregnancy
Healthy pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters of their pregnancy
People aged 75 and over
Each year in Canada, it is estimated that influenza causes approximately: 12,200 hospitalizations, 3,500 deaths.
Where to get vaccinated:
Visit the website of your integrated health and social services centre (CISSS) or integrated university health and social services centre (CIUSSS) and select your region in the List of regions.
*The information on this website by no means replaces the advice of a health professional. If you have questions regarding your health, contact Info-Santé 811 or consult/see a health professional.*
sources:
https://www.quebec.ca
https://www.canada.ca/en/services/health.html
