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You ’ re Doing All You Can to Protect Yourself from COVID-19 , but What About Influenza ?
Influenza , sometimes called the flu , may seem like an inconvenient short-term illness for many , but for seniors , it can be life-threatening . The devastating impact of the pandemic has taught us the importance of doing everything possible to protect seniors not only from COVID-19 , but also from seasonal respiratory illnesses like the flu . Seniors generally have a heightened susceptibility to influenza-related complications due to natural and progressive weakening of the immune system over time , known as immunosenescence . This can also render seniors less responsive to the standard dose influenza vaccine .
Seasonal influenza can have a long-lasting impact on seniors who are at an increased risk for serious complications , including the worsening of existing chronic conditions , hospitalization , and death . The flu has been shown to increase the risk of a first heart attack by ten times in the first three days post-infection and the risk of stroke can increase by three to eight times . For those hospitalized , the risk of flu-related death is five times greater for seniors with chronic heart diseases , twelve times greater for seniors with chronic lung diseases , and a remarkable twenty times greater for seniors with both chronic heart and lung conditions .
“ Despite COVID-19 still circulating in Canada , we have evolved to a stage of endemic infection . In this context , it is reasonable to relax public health restrictions and return to many of our usual activities , getting together with friends and family , dining out , and travelling . However , we must still remember to practise behaviours that will keep us safer in this COVID world ,” says Dr . Brian
Conway , Medical Director , Vancouver Infectious Diseases Centre . “ Our first line of defence was ( and still is ) immunization . This includes seniors , who are also at higher risk of not only COVID-19 but also influenza and its potential complications . That ’ s why it is important that seniors get their flu shot , which can help reduce the risk of influenza illness and its complications .”
FLUZONE ® High-Dose Quadrivalent is a vaccine specially formulated for those 65 years and older to help prevent influenza . It protects against four strains of the flu virus . Talk to your health-care provider about a high dose vaccine and contact your
Public Health officials to find out if it ’ s covered for you in your province .
Help protect yourself when flu season hits .
Vaccination does not provide one hundred per cent protection and does not treat influenza and its complications or prevent hospitalization or death . Learn more about high-dose flu vaccines and where to get them at
fluzone . ca .
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