Some people like to gamble on the horses, a slot machine or an NFL game. But when it comes to your health, that's a wager no one wants to make. And yet some experts are warning that may be exactly what's about to happen with this year's flu shot. The problem: officials are forced to use their best guess about which strain of the annual ailment will be making people sick well before the season arrives. And there are concerns they may have miscalculated, and that this year's vaccine is missing new strains of the virus.
The innoculation was designed to cover three strains of the virus: the Solomon Islands and Wisconsin strains of influenza "A" and the Malaysia strain of influenza "B". But early monitoring of this flu season suggests the Wisconsin strain has already mutated and the Malaysian strain appears to be changing, too. That could mean that the flu shot won't give you as much protection as it should and could be only be 40-50 per cent effective.
"Every year scientists look at the strains circulating in the southern hemisphere in the hope to predict which ones will move up to us," explains
CityNews Medical Specialist Dr. Karl Kabasele. "Usually they're pretty close, but lately over the last few years, the change in the strains of the virus has happened a little bit quicker than in the past." And there's no time to whip up a new batch - it takes six months to produce the vaccines.
Does that mean you don't need the needle? Those in the know say it's still a necessity. "People should get their flu shots," Kabasele advises. "You can still get up to 40 to 50 per cent protection, which is a lot more than your own immune system will give you."
In fact, doctors recommend the shot to everyone over the age of six months. And while the flu doesn't get the publicity some of the more deadly diseases do, it's an equal opportunity killer. As many as 1,500 people die every year from the bug.
Only those who have had bad reactions in the past, are allergic to eggs or have a fever at the time the shots are available should back off. But if you do decide to get one, remember the other side benefit that money can't buy: in Ontario, all the vaccines are free.
The city will start giving you the needle next Tuesday, October 30th.
Find out where to get yours. And be sure to watch
CityNews at Six that day for our special flu show.
For more information on the shots, call
1-877-844-1944. The line is open 8:30am-5pm Monday to Friday.
Keeping your family safe from the bug
Flu Q&A
Flu Myths & Facts
Myth: "I didn't get a flu shot last year and I didn't get sick.
Fact: Even though you have avoided getting the flu so far, it doesn't mean that you will not get sick this year. Every year, different strains of the flu virus circulate. By not getting the flu shot, you are increasing your chances of becoming ill.
Myth: "I'm young and healthy. I don't need a flu shot."
Fact: Even healthy children and young adults can become seriously ill. On average, the flu can leave you ill for up to seven days, causing lost time from work, school or vacation. Plus, there's a chance you might infect others at much greater risk than you of becoming seriously ill: young children, the elderly, or someone with a medical condition. These groups, among others, could develop serious complications from the flu and may need to be hospitalized.
Myth: "Getting a flu shot will give me the flu."
Fact: The vaccine does not contain live virus. Many people confuse the flu with a cold or other respiratory infections, which the flu vaccine will not protect you against.
Myth: "The flu is just a bad cold."
Fact: The flu is much worse than a cold. Cold symptoms and complications are much milder than that of the flu.
Myth: "Flu shots aren't worth getting because they're not very effective."
Fact: A flu shot is usually 70 to 90 per cent effective in preventing flu in healthy adults, when the vaccine is a good match to the strains. In children, it's about 83 per cent. Among the elderly, the vaccine can help prevent pneumonia and hospitalization in about six out of 10 people and is up to 85 per cent effective in preventing death. Vaccine effectiveness varies from one person to another, depending upon their general state of health. Some individuals who get a flu shot can still get the flu. But if they do, it's usually a milder case than it would have been without the shot.
Myth: "I don't need another flu shot. I got one last year."
Fact: A flu shot is needed every year. There are many strains of the flu virus with slightly different characteristics. The strains change, and each year a new vaccine is produced that provides protection against the three most common strains predicted for the coming season. Protection from the vaccine develops by about two weeks after the flu shot, and may last up to one year.
Source:
Ont. Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care