“When can I get a flu shot in Alberta?” And another question, answered.

Alberta illness experts are calling on people in the state to vaccinate against the flu in October, in which everyone pays more attention not to overload the health system. It states that it is necessary. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears Pandemic.

“The most important thing people can do this fall will be getting a flu shot,” said Dr. Kirstin Fiest, a professor of epidemiology and critical care medicine at the University of Calgary, on Tuesday.

“If they didn’t have it in the past, this year would be this year,” Fiest said. “Undoubtedly, it is one of the most important public health things people can do, in addition to wearing a mask and keeping distance.

“It is essential to get a flu shot.”

When will influenza vaccinations be available?

The state plans to roll out the flu vaccine on October 13 for vulnerable people such as the elderly in long-term care and the homeless Alberta.

“Healthcare professionals plan to start providing the vaccine by October 13 at the latest as soon as the vaccine reaches the vulnerable group,” said Alberta Health spokesperson Tom McMillan.

“This is done through the Alberta Outreach Program.”

He added that all Alberta people will be vaccinated when the state vaccination campaign begins on Monday, October 19.

“The methods and locations for Albertans to be vaccinated will be shared in early October,” McMillan said. Last year, Alberta operated state-wide clinics, and some pharmacies and doctors’ clinics also provided vaccines.

Alberta Health on Global News in June Order more doses of flu vaccine This year in anticipation of an increase in demand.

read more: Alberta doctors announce a surge in respiratory viruses with influenza and COVID-19 in the fall

Last year, the state ordered 1.6 million doses of vaccine. This year, we are ordering an additional dose of about 360,000 doses for a total of about 2 million doses. Health officials are expecting there You will be more interested in shooting this year.

She said Fiest believes that more people will be vaccinated this year because public health is more of a concern to most people.

“People are generally more aware of the effects of upper respiratory tract disease,” she said. Hopefully it just improved those behaviors overall. “

Vaccines can prevent “double whammy” at a distance

Fiest added that she believes that social distance, where people are now part of their daily lives, can also help reduce influenza rates. However, if the flu occurs at the same time as another COVID-19 wave, problems can occur.

“A big concern is also overwhelming the resources of the healthcare system. It’s not outside the scope of the possibility that a person with COVID-19 will get the flu and vice versa,” she said.

“This really scares me. In fact, it has this double weird potential.”

She added that the reason a person can be infected with both COVID-19 and influenza is because they are two different viruses with different etiologies.

The good point is Evidence from Australia’s 2020 flu season -Summer in North America-Increased pandemic-related health measures have reduced influenza cases and deaths.

so Report released on July 31st“Influenza and influenza-like illness activity is below average in all systems during this period,” said the Australian Ministry of Health.

From January to July 26, 2020, 36 cases of influenza were confirmed in Australia. At the same time a year ago, 383 deaths were confirmed.

However, Australia’s flu season has declined beyond the period of major government blockades and in-stay orders due to COVID-19. The Alberta government has revealed that it has no intention of conducting a second lockdown.

“We need to focus not only on our obligation to save lives, but also on our obligation to make a living,” Alberta Prime Minister Jason Kenny said on September 9.

Influenza and COVID-19 numbers

In 2019-20, laboratory-confirmed influenza resulted in 1,534 hospitalizations and 39 in-hospital deaths in Alberta. In the previous season, between 2018 and 2019, 1,976 people were hospitalized and 52 died.

As of September 26, there were 809 COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Alberta, killing 261 people since the March pandemic began, officials said.

– Julia Wong and Leslie Young files, global news

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