Be Wise: Immunize

You can help stop the spread of influenza, as well as protect yourself, by getting the flu shot. It is the most effective way to protect yourself and your family from the flu.

“If most of the community gets immunized, we have a much better chance of having an influenza-free season,” says Lorraine Campbell, Manager of Occupational Health and Safety at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre. Anyone aged 6 months or older who lives, works or attends school in Ontario is eligible to receive the publicly funded inactivated trivalent (seasonal) influenza vaccine.

Anyone who has had a serious allergic reaction to a previous dose of the influenza vaccine is advised not to get the vaccine. Individuals with a moderate to severe acute illness with fever or who have just started taking medication (i.e. antibiotics) are advised to wait until those symptoms subside before being immunized. If you are not sure whether the influenza immunization is right for you, consult with your healthcare provider.