Most Still Don’t Bother Getting Flu Shot

Only 35 per cent of Canadians have said they intend to get vaccinated this year against influenza, despite the fact that between 4,000 and 8,000 people in this country die of flu-related complications annually, according to a recent survey by Ipsos Reid.

The study also found that even fewer Canadians, about 27 per cent, are even worried about becoming sick with seasonal influenza. Health experts feel that may be because there’s a lack of awareness about how serious the virus is.

Mt. Sinai Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Alison McGeer knows a lot about the illness. She had SARS and claims the flu is even worse than that scourge.

“It is more dangerous that SARS because we cannot control the spread,” she explains. “We need to have a healthy respect for the amount of damage it’s causing. You really ought to get your flu shot.”

Flu season starts in November, and lasts until the following April, affecting anywhere from 10 to 25 percent of the country’s population each year. The vaccine is late this year, but should be available beginning in November.

Symptoms include a strong cough, muscle aches, headaches, chills and a high fever.

Amanda Ball will be among the first in line when the needles come out. All three members of her family got the bug recently. They don’t want to ever go through that again.

“It felt like I’d been run over,” she shudders. “Vomiting, fever, chills. I actually spent six hours in the hospital on I.V.”

Research proves the shot actually does work and despite that old canard, it can’t give you the ailment. Experts estimate it saved 3,000 people from having to be admitted to a hospital in Ontario last year.

The best way to survive the flu is not to get it at all. Here are some ways you can prevent yourself from becoming infected in the first place.

Wash your hands. There isn’t an expert out there who doesn’t put this one simple act at the top of their prevention list. It doesn’t mean you have to constantly go around with wringing wet hands. But you should consider keeping them clean, especially in places where a lot of people with a lot of potential germs congregate – like your workplace.

Get enough rest. It’s easier said than done in our sleep-deprived world where employment hours grow longer, family demands grow stronger and free time grows ever shorter. But rest is the number one way to cure the body and keep it well. And if you do come down with a cold or the flu, chances are pretty good you’re going to have to rest in the end.

Cover your mouth when you sneeze or cough. The most common method of transmission is from person to person via some not so appealing droplets. Keep them contained and you minimize the risk of spreading it around. But don’t use your hand as the safeguard – you’ll simply spread the contagion to yourself and possibly others with the next thing you touch.  Some experts say if you don’t have a handkerchief or Kleenex before the big blow comes upon you, turn your head away from others and sneeze in the direction where no one’s standing.

Avoid your face. It sounds like an insult but it’s not. Many people have a habit of touching their face and eyes absent mindedly during the day, allowing germs that may have gotten onto their hands access to their systems.

A breath of fresh air works wonders. It sounds like something your mother used to say, and she was right. Central heating may be comfortable, but it dries out your nasal passages, and leaves you more vulnerable to an infection. A breath of fresh air can be, well, like a breath of fresh air.

Get regular exercise. You’ve heard it before but active people are generally healthy people.  Aerobic exercise is especially good, and can help your body fight off invaders like the cold and flu viruses.

Smoking and alcohol. Smoking isn’t good for you at the best of times and any disease that causes congestion in your breathing doesn’t need the added complication. Cutting out the butts will save your lungs, your wallet and your overall health. Drinking too much prevents your liver from filtering impurities in the body and alcohol can leave you dehydrated.

Drink water. Our bodies are made up mostly of water and keeping your system flushed is a sure way to avoid infections. Experts have long recommended eight glasses a day. How do you know if you’ve had enough? The answer can be found at a glance – if your urine is clear, you’re O.K. If it’s yellow, you need to drink more fluids.

Get a flu shot. Sometimes, no matter how careful you are or what you do, the flu bug will bite. Getting a shot against what experts guess is the most likely strain to come this year can keep you healthy. And remember while the shot can’t give you the flu, there’s no 100 percent guarantee it can prevent it, either.