N.B. urges people to get flu shot to lift burden on health-care system
Health-care workers are prepared for an unpredictable flu season as both COVID-19 and flu cases could overwhelm the health-care system further.
While both illnesses have similar symptoms, such as cough and fever, symptoms are preventable with the help of vaccines.
Alistair Bursey, a local pharmacist in Fredericton, said getting the flu is always a risk, but he hopes that cases will be limited with if people get their shot and continue to follow restrictions.
"You certainly wouldn't want the double whammy of having COVID and flu, or even having them one after another," said Bursey. "I think travel has increased this year, it's a reality. Vaccinated patients with COVID could certainly bring the flu here and that's a reality we are going to face this year," said Bursey.
New Brunswick's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Jennifer Russell is urging people to get the flu shot this year. This will help take the strain off the province's hospitals and health-care workers, who are overrun due to several hospitalizations due to COVID-19. Unlike this time last year, when both COVID-19 and influenza cases were low in the province.
Dr. Gordon Dow, an infectious disease specialist said "we did not have a single case of proven influenza last year. Why? Because of that shield phenomena, public health measures … public health measures are incredibly effective at preventing transmission of respiratory viruses."
This is the second year in a row where the flu vaccine will be free for all New Brunswick residents. According to Dow, the high-dose influenza vaccine will be offered to those living in long-term care homes.
"It is more effective in that group, and this year they're offering it to people not only in long term care but also people older than 65. So you're going to get the Cadillac vaccine if you're 65 and older."
Pharmacies and health-care providers in New Brunswick will begin administering flu shots on Oct. 12 for an eight-to-12-week period.
On Sept. 28, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) advised that it is safe for people to get both the COVID-19 vaccine and the influenza vaccine at the same time.
Canada's chief public health officer, Dr. Theresa Tam said, "being able to give the COVID-19 vaccines at the same time as, or within days of, other vaccines will make it easier for Canadians to get their vaccines at the right time, especially as we get closer to influenza season and the rollout of the 2021 influenza vaccine program."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
Fewer medical students going into family medicine contributing to doctor shortage
As some family doctors are retiring and others are moving away from family medicine, there are fewer medical students to take their place.
'It's discriminatory': Individuals refused entry to Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
Individuals being barred from entering Ontario’s legislature while wearing a keffiyeh say the garment is part of their cultural identity— and the only ones making it political are the politicians banning it.
Bodies found by U.S. authorities searching for missing B.C. kayakers
United States authorities who have been searching for a pair of missing kayakers from British Columbia since the weekend have recovered two bodies in the nearby San Juan Islands of Washington state.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Competition bureau finds 'substantial' anti-competitive effects with proposed Bunge-Viterra merger
The proposed merger of agricultural giants Viterra and Bunge is raising competition concerns from the federal government.