Protect Your Loved Ones From the Flu This Year

It’s that time of year and the flu season is upon us once again. In preparation for this year’s cold and flu season, it’s important to have all our necessary home remedies stocked and ready to go. In addition to these remedies, it’s even more important to protect yourself and your loved ones by getting the annual flu shot. Immunization is the best prevention against the flu and the illness it can cause.

The flu is contagious, which means it can very easily spread from person to person. Did you know that the infected person can be contagious even before they start to notice any flu symptoms? They could be carrying the influenza (flu) virus and pass it on to a person who can’t fight off the infection; leaving them to deal with dangerous complications, like battling pneumonia or even fighting for their life.

Together, we can reduce the risk of flu.

If you and every member of your social circle, including family members, coworkers and friends, all received the flu shot, you would be working together to protect the entire group from the flu. The more members of your circle that are vaccinated, the higher the protection against the flu. This also aids in creating a shield to protect infants and toddlers who can’t get the flu shot because they are simply too young.

For the best protection: get the flu shot.

Your Rexall Pharmacist can provide you and your loved ones with the flu shot, along with healthy advice to help reduce the risk of flu.

Did you know? If 9.9 million Canadians get the flu shot this year¹, we will:

• Kiss 433,000 flu cases goodbye²
• Reduce flu-related doctor’s office visits by 10,000²
• Keep 2,800 flu cases out of our emergency rooms²
• And prevent 197 flu-related deaths²

 New flu strains mean a new vaccine each year.

Each year the World Health Organization identifies the particular strains of the flu. A new vaccine is then produced to be most effective against those strains. Each year, you need to receive the new vaccine to be effectively protected against influenza. Remember, your flu shot from last year will not protect you this year.

The flu shot is the most effective and longest lasting protection against the spread of the influenza virus. As more people are vaccinated, the influenza virus has less chance to multiply and spread in the community. Together, we can reduce the risk of flu. Get the flu shot today. Speak with Your Rexall Pharmacist for more information on flu shots.

Disclaimer:
Speak with your Rexall Pharmacist to see if the flu shot is right for you. By provincial legislation, Pharmacists cannot administer a flu shot to children under a certain age. Ask Your Rexall Pharmacist for age restrictions.

_{References:
¹ Influenza survey results published by Public Health Services and Canadian demographics information published by Statistics Canada, accessed at https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/vaccine-uptake-results-2015-16-national-influenza-immunization-coverage-survey.html and https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/91-215-x/2012000/part-partie2-eng.htm
² Estimates based on O’Reilly, D., Blackhouse , G., Burns, et al. (2017). Economic analysis of pharmacist – administered influenza immunizations in Ontario. PATH Research Institute: OPEN. https://www.cadth.ca/sites/default/files/symp-2017/presentations/april25-2017/Concurrent-Session-D7-Daria-OReilly.pdf}

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