Londoners Michael and Harriet Plumb were among the first in line at Coulter’s Pharmacy in London, Ont. get their annual flu shot. In a time of respiratory distress, they said they weren’t going to take any chances. “With COVID and all we need as much coverage as possible, so why not,” says Harriet. “Sometimes you feel like a pincushion,” adds Michael, “But that’s okay. I’m quite happy with it, I have no problem with it.” You can book flu shots through participating healthcare providers, public health units and pharmacies. “As the world opens up, as we start doing things, the potential for respiratory infections is going to be pretty astronomical, they say this year,” says pharmacist Scott Coulter. Coulter says he’s been consistent with giving flu shots since he opened, adding that with the holiday season right around the corner, now is the best time ever. “Spending time in close proximity to other people or people outside of our household in an enclosed space increases the transmission of any respiratory virus,” he adds. The medical director of the Middlesex-London Health Unit, Dr. Alex Summers says this is expected to be a tough flu season. “In recent years we haven’t seen a lot of flu activity as a result of all these public health measures we’ve taken to protect against COVID,” Summers says. “That means this year many of us may not have seen the flu for a long, long time. This makes us more vulnerable.” The availability of the flu vaccine comes as hospitals across the province face significant capacity issues and long wait times in emergency departments. “If we do our part by getting vaccinated, we’re not only protecting ourselves but also those around us from getting seriously ill and ending up in the hospital,” adds Summers. Meanwhile, health officials continue to encourage the receipt of the bivalent COVID-19 souvenir as well. You can take both at the same time, but they should be given in different arms.
