While flu season arrives early for NWT, health official urges people to get vaccinated

The Chief Public Health Officer of the Northwest Territories said that the flu season had started early and that she was recommending people to get vaccinated.

"In the past two weeks, we have had about five confirmed cases of influenza type A, four out of five of which were due to the H1N1 virus," said Dr. Kami Kandola.

There is a greater risk of contracting a respiratory illness during the colder months, in part, because people stay indoors, where there can be more people and more easily transmit viruses, she said.

The season often lasts between the end of autumn and the month of April, and peaks at the beginning of the new year. Last season, there were about 183 confirmed cases of influenza, as well as 45 influenza-like illnesses in the territory, said Kandola.

This number could however be considerably higher, because not everyone is tested, she added.

"Last year was particularly bad because we had a different type of influenza A. It was H3N2 and there was an imbalance in immunization," said Kandola, adding that the number of cases flu was higher than the global average.

"This year, if people are vaccinated and covered, we do not expect a high flu season."

Kandola says that people should not be afraid of being vaccinated against the flu because it is not a live virus injected. (Tony Talbot / AP)

Shot will not give the flu to people

The protection of the vaccine eventually dissipates, and there are different strains to take into account. It is therefore important to renew the injection every year, she said.

Being vaccinated early against the flu is ideal, but it is still worthwhile to get it, even if it's later in the season.

Most people do not have a negative reaction after receiving the vaccine, Said Kandola. But it can cause redness and / or pain in some people, and others may feel tired, although "it's not the flu because this vaccine we give by injection is a dead virus." Is not a living virus ".

About 20% of the population of the territory is vaccinated against influenza every year, Kandola I said. It takes about two weeks after the vaccine to boost immunity against the flu.

Flu vaccination clinics in several communities in the territory end this month, but residents can still get one by contacting their local community health center or regional public health office.