The flu shot – one small step for your health, one giant advantage for mankind
For Jody Sydor Jones, Coastal Director, Quality and Patient Safety, getting the flu shot is one small step for her personal health but one giant advantage for mankind… “or at least for our patients, physicians, staff, volunteers and community members.”
For healthy people, falling sick with the flu means a few days of feeling miserable, but for young children, the elderly and those with underlying health conditions, it can lead to a trip to the hospital and ICU admissions. (Even the brave astronaut Neil Armstrong wouldn’t want to go on that voyage, especially knowing that between 4,000 to 8,000 people die each year in Canada from complications due to the flu and pneumonia, 90 per cent of them seniors.)
It’s why Jody got her shot on the first day of the staff flu clinic this week at Lions Gate Hospital. She wasn’t alone. A steady stream of staff lined up in the hospital atrium on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to get immunized, including Leslie Gilbert, nursing unit assistant in the maternity ward.
“I may not be the first in line for the flu shot every year, but I like to get it over with,” says Leslie.
Leslie Gilbert, nursing unit assistant, was one of the many VCH staffers who got their flu shot this week at Lions Gate Hospital.
Flu shot clinics now underway
To fight against the virus, VCH will receive about 430,000 doses of influenza vaccine to protect people for the 2016-2017 flu season. Public Health staff are hosting dozens of flu clinics across the region (www.vch.ca/flu).
People can also get a flu shot at pharmacies, walk in clinics and family doctors’ offices.
This year’s flu shot will protect against three strains of influenza viruses specified by the World Health Organization: A/California/7/2009 (H1N1) pdm09-like virus, A/Hong Kong/4801/2014 (H3N2), and B/Brisbane/60/2008. Children will also be protected against a fourth strain – B/Phuket/3073/2013-like virus.
“As health care workers caring for the vulnerable, we have a responsibility to fight the flu by getting immunized or wearing a mask,” says VCH Medical Health Officer Dr. Meena Dawar.
Since the flu shot contains inactivated (killed) virus, it can’t make you sick. The most likely side effect of the shot is a sore arm. FluMist, the nasal spray vaccine, contains weakened (live) flu virus and its most common side effect is a runny nose.
All visitors must get shot or wear mask
Beginning Dec. 1, 2016, through to the end of the flu season, which is generally the end of March, all visitors to any health care facilities and VCH staff working in patient care areas, must have had their flu shot or wear a mask. Flu shots for visitors are free.
People planning to visit loved ones in a health care facility or who will take family members to outpatient appointments are also eligible for a free flu shot. Masks will be available at various locations including nursing stations and outpatient reception desks.
Report your immunization online
Have your employee ID number and report at:
Staff & residents: https://flu.vch.ca.
Physicians (including dentists, midwives, psychologists, podiatrists, denturists, fellows, nurse practitioners): https://medicalstaffhealth.vch.ca/
More info
For more information please visit the VCH staff flu page www.vch.ca/staff-flu. There you’ll find the full policy, info about how to properly wear a mask, and frequently asked questions. We welcome your questions; these can be sent to fluprevention@vch.ca.