“I will wait to have a lot more information, because you have just told me the news”, begins a citizen.
Public health wants to prevent higher flu cases this year. It therefore informs the population to prepare accordingly.
“In previous years, we looked at what had happened in New Zealand, Australia. That’s where they had winter before us and there hadn’t been any big flu seasons. This year, it’s going to be a good one so we say to ourselves if ever what they are going through it’s coming to us we have to be ready and the way to be ready is essentially to be vaccinated when we’re at risk to make these complications”, begins Sylvain Leduc, director of public health at the CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent.
Health authorities suggest immunosuppressed people, those aged 75 and over, pregnant women and children get the vaccine. People with chronic illnesses are also part of the target clientele. The vaccine may be combined with that of COVID-19.
“So for the vaccination that we call the co-administration of the flu or COVID vaccine, we just have to go to the CLIC-Santé portal or call our vaccination call centers by making an appointment. you have the flu,” explains Murielle Therrien, director of vaccination at the CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent.
For some, it therefore becomes a priority each year to have recourse to vaccines.
“Health problems at age must be prevented”, according to a lady.
“I’ve done it before, because I don’t miss it, because I don’t have a spleen. My immune system is weak,” says another lady.
For the majority of people encountered at random, it is quite the opposite.
“I was never vaccinated for it, then I always got away with it,” said a passerby.
“I really don’t feel the need for an influenza vaccine,” adds a passerby.
“I protect myself, but no, I will not get vaccinated again,” says a citizen.
“I’ve never been vaccinated and I’ve never had the flu,” concludes a lady.
The vaccination campaign will begin on October 17. Nearly 9,000 people have already made their appointment in Bas-Saint-Laurent. Each fall, nearly 39,000 citizens in the region get the flu shot.