Stay healthy this winter; get a free flu shot
One way to avoid the flu is to lock yourself in your house from November to April. If total isolation is not an option, you can get the flu shot, which will be offered to all college staff and students at various times throughout the month of November.
The flu shot will protect people from the common upper respiratory illness, which infects millions of Canadians a year through influenza contaminated droplets that are spread though coughing, sneezing or even breathing. The flu virus can also be found on the hands of people who are infected or on surfaces they have touched, like a door handle or keyboard.
The shot produces antibodies against the strains of the flu virus found in the vaccine, which is effective for up to six months. Different flu shots are offered every year because flu strains change from season to season.
According to Health Canada, 10-25 per cent of the Canadians may get the flu this season, which can develop into pneumonia for people with weak immune systems, the elderly and infants.
“If you are in school and you get true influenza, you could end up being sick for two to three weeks,” said Olive Murray, Occupational Health Nurse at Fanshawe College.
Murray does warn that people who have allergic reactions to egg products should refrain from getting the flu shot.
“People who should not get the shot are people who have had allergic reactions to vaccines in the past.”
She said an allergic reaction is rare, but all recipients are asked to stay and be monitored for 15 minutes after getting the shot.
Murray added that side effects may include a sore arm and those who get the shot may feel “off colour” for a couple of days.
“It's not a live virus. You can't get the flu from the vaccine,” Murray said about the shot that takes up to two weeks to begin to work.
Nearly 10 million doses of the flu shot were distributed in Canada during the 2003/2004-flu season.
The free vaccine will be offered at the Fowler Kennedy Health Clinic, 1014 Student Union Building, on November 15 from 8:30am —10:30pm, November 16 from 11am —2pm and November 23 from 9am-12pm. For more information call Employee Health Services at 452-4132 or the Fowler Health Clinic at 452-4230.
The flu shot will protect people from the common upper respiratory illness, which infects millions of Canadians a year through influenza contaminated droplets that are spread though coughing, sneezing or even breathing. The flu virus can also be found on the hands of people who are infected or on surfaces they have touched, like a door handle or keyboard.
The shot produces antibodies against the strains of the flu virus found in the vaccine, which is effective for up to six months. Different flu shots are offered every year because flu strains change from season to season.
According to Health Canada, 10-25 per cent of the Canadians may get the flu this season, which can develop into pneumonia for people with weak immune systems, the elderly and infants.
“If you are in school and you get true influenza, you could end up being sick for two to three weeks,” said Olive Murray, Occupational Health Nurse at Fanshawe College.
Murray does warn that people who have allergic reactions to egg products should refrain from getting the flu shot.
“People who should not get the shot are people who have had allergic reactions to vaccines in the past.”
She said an allergic reaction is rare, but all recipients are asked to stay and be monitored for 15 minutes after getting the shot.
Murray added that side effects may include a sore arm and those who get the shot may feel “off colour” for a couple of days.
“It's not a live virus. You can't get the flu from the vaccine,” Murray said about the shot that takes up to two weeks to begin to work.
Nearly 10 million doses of the flu shot were distributed in Canada during the 2003/2004-flu season.
The free vaccine will be offered at the Fowler Kennedy Health Clinic, 1014 Student Union Building, on November 15 from 8:30am —10:30pm, November 16 from 11am —2pm and November 23 from 9am-12pm. For more information call Employee Health Services at 452-4132 or the Fowler Health Clinic at 452-4230.
