Flu season appears to have peaked across Ontario, but local health officials say they’re seeing one definite trend this year – more young people being infected with the virus.
Kristy Wright, manager of infectious disease for Region of Waterloo Public Health, says the predominant strain of flu this year has been H1N1, which is known to affect younger people.
“With H1N1, we do see a wider age distribution of cases,” she says.
Most local cases of influenza this year have involved residents age 45 or younger, with fewer people over 65 being affected.
In total, Waterloo Region has seen 131 lab-confirmed cases of influenza this year, with 40 causing hospitalization and one death.
That means 78 cases have been confirmed since Jan. 3.
Officials say more than half of the 131 people diagnosed with the flu didn’t receive a flu shot this year.
A poll released this week by Forum Research shows that 49 per cent of surveyed Canadians have no intention of getting a flu shot – something which health units work hard to counteract.
“The flu vaccine has had a bad rep for many years,” Wright says.
“There are still people who think you can get sick from the flu vaccine. There are still people who believe it’s not effective or they’re not at risk.”
While the vaccine isn’t effective 100 per cent of the time, Wright says, it can still reduce symptoms and complications in people who do contract the virus, and is still safer than not getting immunized.
