Influenza vaccine clinics open their doors
The Yukon’s influenza vaccine clinics began today.
The Yukon’s influenza vaccine clinics began today.
In Whitehorse, the clinics are being held at the Coast High Country Inn Convention Centre for Yukoners ages six months and older.
In the communities, clinics are being held at local health centres and other locations within the community. Clinic dates and locations can be found online at https://yukon.ca/flu.
In Whitehorse, the first week of clinics is for those most vulnerable to complications from influenza.
These include Yukon residents with chronic medical conditions, as well as those who are pregnant, over the age 65 and young children.
Appointments can be made at yukon.ca/flu or by phone at 1-877-374-0425. Walk-ins will be accepted starting Oct. 25.
Influenza can cause serious illness and hospitalization among older adults and those with chronic conditions, the Yukon government pointed out late last week.
In healthy individuals, influenza symptoms are generally mild to moderate.
In more serious cases, symptoms can include rapid onset of high fever, cough, sore throat, aches, pains and chills.
The vaccine takes about two weeks to become effective. The best time to be vaccinated is as soon as it becomes available.
This year, all Yukon residents who are 65 years of age and older are eligible to receive a higher dose flu vaccine.
This vaccine is proven more effective in preventing influenza in older adults than the standard-dose vaccine.
Pharmacies in Whitehorse will also be providing flu vaccine this year for anyone aged five years and up. Contact your local pharmacy or visit https://www.yukon.ca/flu for more information.
“The flu vaccine is free and available to anyone over the age of six months,” noted Health and Social Services Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee.
“Receiving your flu vaccine will help protect yourself and prevent the spread of the virus to those who are more vulnerable to influenza, such as elders, people with chronic conditions, those who are pregnant and those under six months.”
With more people travelling this year, added Dr. Catherine Elliott, the acting chief medical officer of health, “it is expected we will see more cases of influenza.
“There is also the possibility of someone getting concurrent infections of both COVID-19 and influenza at the same time, a situation we all want to avoid.
“Getting the flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the flu,” Elliott said.
“I encourage all Yukoners to do their part by getting the flu vaccine, and those who were born in 2009 or earlier to get their COVID-19 vaccine if they haven’t done so already.”
Comments (8)
Up 0 Down 7
Himbo on Oct 14, 2021 at 9:12 pm
@Himbo, that's not the way it works I guess they forgot to include the worlds deadly disease in there - you know covid 19.
Up 13 Down 8
Himbo, that's not the way it works on Oct 14, 2021 at 12:58 pm
Population growth, demographics and a few other variables all play into predictions about the number of deaths in any given year. When the actual number of deaths is greater than forecast, it's called 'excess mortality rate', and yeah since March, the excess mortality rate in Canada is almost all attributed to people dying of covid. Nothing to do with 'media', just math and science.
Up 11 Down 4
Richard Smith? on Oct 14, 2021 at 12:55 pm
Not sure what you're reading - but this is straight from Statscan "From January to mid-December 2020, there were an estimated 296,373 deaths in Canada, representing an excess of 13,798 deaths above and beyond what would have been expected had there been no pandemic. This is about 5% more deaths than expected in that period, after accounting for changes in the population, such as aging, and about 7% more deaths than the 277,276 observed within the same time frame in 2019." Deaths from influenza in the 2020/2021 season haven't been published yet. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1310039401
Up 16 Down 21
bonanzajoe on Oct 13, 2021 at 8:29 pm
Notice after all these hundreds of years, there still is no cure for the common cold and flu? But sure a lot of treatments. Why are they not looking for a cure for Covid19? No money in cures. But trillions for treatments. Cancer could have been cured back in the 1950s. But again, no money in cures. And they keep telling us to donate money for Cancer with the same old lie line, "Cancer can be cured". But they are still using the same old treatments that were invented over 50 years ago, which are, from what I have been told by suffers, worse than the infliction.
So, folks, don't expect cures for any disease. Get used to painful treatments.
Up 15 Down 20
Himbo on Oct 13, 2021 at 12:18 pm
@Richard smith you are very correct. However the media loves to eat up this one… “Canada is at an all time high for deaths in one year” ummmm yeah… because our population is growing… of course we are going to have more deaths… the death rate is only slightly higher then the year before…. Due to our population gain. Think about it.
Up 17 Down 25
Tu Shi on Oct 13, 2021 at 8:41 am
Why should I get a flu vaccine? I have heard nothing about the flu for a year. I have not heard of anyone dying of the flu for over a year and a half. People only die from Covid.
Up 19 Down 22
Himbo on Oct 13, 2021 at 5:57 am
But I thought covid was the only thing you could catch these days?
Up 15 Down 20
Richard Smith on Oct 12, 2021 at 5:37 pm
Now I'm confused.
I thought covid was a variant of influenza and many provinces claim there were virtually no influenza deaths this year. Previous, influenza deaths in Canada averaged 3,500 per year.
Also, I just read a credible report that, according to Statistics Canada, there were less total deaths in Canada in 2020, a full covid year, than in 2019.
2020 - 1.55% of the population, 2019 - 1.68% and less than the last 5 year average of 1.81%.