By Peter Gay
This New Year’s Eve did not just bring in the year 2001, it also marked the official beginning of flu season.
On Dec. 31 the first case of influenza in the region was identified, followed by a second case in early January.
A city medical officer says the two confirmed cases of influenza are just the beginning of an expected twelve-week outbreak.
“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Dr. Edward Ellis, of the city’s health department.
Ellis says up to 25 per cent of the city’s population can expect to get the flu.
The city is involved in a $38 million provincewide plan to provide free vaccinations to anyone, in an effort to battle influenza and reduce the number of cases in emergency rooms.
Over 400,000 doses of the influenza vaccine have been sent out to hospitals, health centres and special clinics as part of the prevention effort.
Two strains of the virus have been confirmed in the region. Influenza A primarily affects young people and Influenza B affects the older population. The vaccine can prevent both strains and is 70 to 90 per cent effective in people with healthy immune systems.
“We have a preventable disease, we have the tool, now we just have to do it,” says Ellis.
Sandra Tait is the primary care co-ordinator at the Centretown Community Health Centre.
As of late December, the centre had given out more that 1,200 flu shots, four times the number given last year.
A large portion of those shots was given to seniors, who were given first priority for the vaccine in September.
“Seniors are the group that has bought into the vaccination program very well,” says Tait.
The senior population is considered a high-risk category. Ellis says aging and impaired immunity makes seniors more susceptible to influenza.
Darlene Powers, day co-ordinator at the Good Companions Senior’s Centre on Albert Street, says the message to get vaccinated has been made clear.
“It has been very popular because the doctors are recommending it,” says Powers.
Ellis says the results of the mass-vaccination program won’t be in until the end of the season.