Five reasons to get a flu shot during the COVID-19 pandemic

1. The flu can come back

If last year’s flu was kinda shy, She can come back strong this fall, believes Michael Curry, a professor at the University of British Columbia School of Medicine. Influenza viruses return and spread.

The relative absence of influenza viruses last season lowers our immunityAccording to the county health chief, Bonnie Henry. This year, it is especially important to get a flu shot, noted in a press release.

Dr. Brian Conway, MD, medical director of the Vancouver Center for Infectious Diseases, agrees: We had very few cases last year. So there was no collective immunity built up in societies.

You are expected to have a very serious flu season.

2. Flu and COVID-19 may not mix well

Given the relative absence of flu cases last season, it’s hard to fully understand what a co-infection with influenza and a COVID-19 infection looks like.

Knowing that influenza leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of the immune system, This can be especially dangerous for both infectionsDr. Conway fears.

3. Avoid crowding in hospitals

Influenza is a respiratory disease that poses a serious risk to people over the age of 65, remind health authorities, seeking to avoid overcrowding in hospitals, which are already under stress from COVID-19.

During the pandemic, it is important to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the parallel spread of influenza and COVID-19 in order to reduce the burden on the Canadian healthcare system., says Health Canada.

As we will be spending more time with our loved ones indoors, it is important to be fully immunized, against COVID-19 and the flu.

British Columbia health officials have launched flu vaccination clinics.

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Photo: (Ivan Mitsui/CBC)

4. Combined flu and COVID-19 vaccines is safe

You don’t have to worry about people who are immune to COVID-19 getting sick another vaccineAccording to health experts.

People tend to think that vaccination stresses their immune systemSays Dr. Carey of the University of British Columbia. However, the human body is already responding To thousands, if not millions, of allergens and microscopic life every day, he argues.

All COVID-19 vaccines can be combined with another vaccine, whether inactivated or live, says the BC Center for Disease Control.

In fact, 99.9% of vaccines can be combinedsays Ajit Gohal, MD, medical director and pharmacist at Immunize.io, a nonprofit that promotes vaccination. Because COVID-19 and influenza have different immune responses, getting both vaccines provides better protection.

There is no risk, on the contrary, there are many advantages.

If you get the flu, it may reduce the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine. We must make sure that the COVID-19 vaccine is as effective as possible, argues Dr. Conway.

The relative absence of influenza viruses last season lowered the population’s immunity, according to Chief Medical Officer of Health Bonnie Henry.

Photo: The Canadian Press/Andrew Vaughan

5. Improving the effectiveness of the incomplete vaccine

On the other hand, the influenza vaccine often the benefactor Depending on the strains that were prevalent in the previous year.

With little data on influenza cases last season, There is a high possibility that the vaccine used this year may not be fully compatible with the viral strains circulating in the communityDr. Conway explains.

It is important that people are vaccinated to improve the effectiveness of the vaccine, which may be incomplete.Concludes.

In Canada, the National Immunization Advisory Committee (NACI) recommends influenza vaccination for people over 6 months of age.