TORONTO — Respiratory virus specialists say Canadians should get their flu shot as soon as it becomes available in their area this fall.
Most provinces will start providing the flu vaccine to the general public by the end of October and it will be free of charge.
In Ontario, both the flu and COVID-19 shots became available on Sept. 28 for people age 65 and older, residents of long-term care or retirement homes and hospital patients and staff.
The flu vaccine is recommended for everyone six months of age and older, said Dr. Winnie Siu, a senior medical adviser for the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), during an online briefing for health-care professionals on Tuesday.
A higher-dose version of the flu shot is recommended for adults aged 65 and older because aging immune systems often need a bigger boost.
A nasal spray alternative to the flu shot, called FluMist, is approved in Canada but availability may vary between provinces and territories, Siu said.
Even though last year’s flu vaccine wasn’t an ideal match with the circulating strains, evidence still showed 40 per cent protection against requiring medical attention or hospitalization for flu infections, she said.
Dawn Bowdish, an immunologist at McMaster University and head of the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health in Hamilton, said the flu vaccine works for about six months, but peak protection lasts for about three months.