Active cases of COVID-19 are rising in B.C., causing experts like provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry to warn that a second wave is underway. This critical moment in the continued pandemic is coinciding with the looming flu season. As temperatures continue to drop and this second virus begins circulating more widely, now’s the time to go out and get your flu shot and inadvertently strengthen public health.
Why do we need a flu shot every year? Because every year, the flu virus mutates. This is why there’s a new yearly flu shot that’s specially catered to the predicted strains that will gain traction. Getting immunized against the flu shot is like giving your immune system a cheat sheet: you’re exposing it to a harmless version of the virus so it can mount defences and be ready for the real deal. In fact, Dr. Allison McGeer of Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto cites the flu shot as being 50 or 60 per cent effective in protecting you from flu-related hospitalization.
To put this in perspective: “How good are seat belts at protecting you from dying in a car accident? About 50 per cent. How good are smoke detectors at reducing your risk of death in a house fire? About 35 per cent,” McGeer said.
Reducing your personal risk for hospitalization will be critical given that a worldwide pandemic is happening simultaneously. It’s already been acknowledged that the flu and COVID-19 “double whammy” could overwhelm hospitals and COVID-19 testing sites if the number of cases for both illnesses keep climbing. Considering some employers now require COVID-19 testing to return to work (although this isn’t endorsed by the CDC), this will further deplete COVID-19 tests on the working-aged demographic who can’t afford to take time off to recover. It’s also unknown what kind of compound effect could take place in individuals who contract both viruses. (Especially since they’re both primarily respiratory infections and cause fevers.)
A commonly cited reason for not getting the flu shot among the younger demographic is that they’re a population that’s generally healthy; they don’t often get the flu or feel that their immune system needs any help. But that justification doesn’t account for the concept of herd immunity.
If a high percentage of people are vaccinated in an area, they reduce the transmission of the disease to others and protect members of the community who can’t get immunized due to health reasons. Face masks are often said to protect others rather than the wearer, and the same can be said about the flu shot for younger people. By taking a short trip to your local pharmacy, you can help protect vulnerable people in your community, including those that are young but unable to get the flu shot — whether it be children, immunocompromised individuals, or those who are allergic to components in the shot. There’s a larger picture here that many don’t consider or feel is relevant to them, but public health is relevant to everyone, and everyone has a responsibility to help maintain it.
For anyone worrying about the price, know that nearly everyone has access to a flu shot for free. If you’re someone who might have a high risk of becoming seriously ill, or who could spread the flu to people who might become seriously ill (someone with a chronic illness, the elderly, children, Indigenous individuals), you’re automatically eligible to receive it at no cost. Eligibility operates on an honour basis; there are no stringent application processes for getting the shot and no background checks.
If you’re concerned about the anti-mask protests, individuals who don’t show concern about the current pandemic, or the rising cases of COVID-19 in B.C. putting a strain on public health and our health-care system, you can take action. Keep fighting the good fight and know that you can make a difference in making sure you don’t contract or spread the influenza virus this upcoming flu season.
Anyone interested in receiving a flu shot can book an appointment or walk-in at pharmacies, some doctor’s offices, and public health units across B.C. Call ahead and your chosen health-care provider can give more details on the process.
Illustration by Elyssa English
