Vaccine vial dose flu shot drug needle syringe,medical concept vaccination hypodermic injection on blue background

By Liam Verster

Health & Wellness

Flu shots available starting Monday

Oct 19, 2019 | 7:00 AM

Flu shots will be available at clinics and pharmacies starting Monday.

The influenza vaccine is not 100 per cent effective, but last year’s stats show the vaccine was around 73 per cent effective at stopping people from getting the flu.

Dr. Albert De Villiers, medical health officer with Alberta Health Services, says it’s important to get immunized, or you risk contracting and spreading influenza, even if you are young and healthy.

“Every year, unfortunately, there are still people that pass away because of influenza. And the other thing is you could also have the disease without having the symptoms. So you might be infecting other people, and if you know other people who might be vulnerable, like the elderly, or little kids under six months that cannot get the vaccine yet, you might make them sick without knowing it, so that’s something we’re trying to avoid.”

He adds that even healthy young adults end up in the hospital or passing away every year because of influenza.

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Dr. De Villiers stresses the importance of getting vaccinated, but also offers tips on how to avoid getting sick or passing on germs.

“Wash your hands often, make sure if you touch surfaces like doorknobs and things that you don’t put your hand in your mouth. Practice good respiratory etiquette, that basically just means cover your cough, and cover your mouth and your nose when you sneeze, to make sure you don’t spread anything. And then probably the most difficult one is to stay home when you are sick.”

He says going to work sick puts everyone in your workplace at risk of getting sick and stresses that people should try to work from home or stay home in bed until they feel better, rather than put everyone else at risk.

A list of the clinics can be found through the Alberta Health Service’s website,. Vaccines are also available at pharmacies.