Attendance at community flu clinics is down 38 per cent this fall.
The child who died was younger than 10, previously healthy and did not have a flu shot. Dr. Hsiu-Li Wang, associate medical officer of health, does not know if vaccination would have prevented the death.
This is the third time influenza has killed a local child in the last eight flu seasons. Public health officials are guarding the child’s identity as the family grieves.
“It’s rare and obviously it’s extremely unfortunate,” Wang said. “It’s obviously an extremely painful time for them.”
Three elderly residents who died had underlying health problems and influenza contributed to their deaths. All had received the flu shot but two died just after receiving the vaccine, perhaps too soon to develop immunity, Wang said. It can take up to two weeks from flu shot to immunity.
While the flu shot does not guarantee immunity, tests suggest the vaccine is a good match for the virus this season.
New information shows Waterloo Region has 103 confirmed flu cases, the highest number in the province at about a quarter of the Ontario total. The region is seeing above-average school absences and emergency room visits.
“It is heavy at the moment because we are right in the peak,” Wang said.
Based on population the local flu rate is currently six times higher than the provincial average. The hospitalization rate is five times higher. Most of Ontario’s flu deaths this season have been in this region.
However, Wang said the local flu season could still conclude as average. It stands out because it started early and is peaking early. But it is progressing in a standard way and she suspects it may taper off early. “We were the first out the gate,” she said.
Her advice: Get a flu shot, cough into your sleeve, wash your hands often and stay home if you feel sick.
Influenza A is blamed for 12 recent flu outbreaks in local facilities including hospitals, nursing and retirement homes.
It’s not known how many residents have received the flu shot. Wang anticipates between 22 and 28 per cent of the local population will ultimately get it, roughly in line with the provincial rate. “We have a relatively low uptake,” she said. “Obviously we’d like more people to be immunized.”
Wang attributes low vaccinations to lack of concern among the public and to misconceptions. “The influenza vaccine is safe. It doesn’t give you the flu,” she said.
The vaccine is available at no cost through family doctors, urgent care clinics, community clinics, some workplaces and some pharmacies. It has been distributed to hospitals, nursing and retirement homes.
A dozen community flu clinics have been completed since November. Two more are planned in Waterloo and in Cambridge in 2013. Attendance at community flu clinics is down significantly here and across the province. Such clinics account for only a small portion of immunizations.