The city’s annual flu clinics have officially begun.
The Thunder Bay and District Health Unit launched its first annual fly clinic Monday at the Italian Cultural Centre.
Officials with the Health Unit say they will be offering 30 flu shot clinics throughout the region in the next six weeks.
For more information about the flu or for a flu schedule, visit online at thunderbayflu.ca.
More information is also available in the Health Unit’s news release, which was issued Monday afternoon, published in its entirety below:
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Flu Clinics to Start Today
The Health Unit launched the annual flu clinic season today at the Italian Cultural Centre by reinforcing the importance of boosting the body’s natural immunity to fight the flu by getting a flu shot as early as possible.
“Influenza, or ‘the flu,’ is a serious respiratory illness that can lead to pneumonia,” says Dr. Janet DeMille, the Health Unit’s associate medical officer of health. “The flu shot boosts your immune system by helping it to build antibodies against the virus that causes the flu. The earlier you get your flu shot, the sooner your body can make these important antibodies to protect you from the flu and to prevent the spread of the virus to others.”
The province of Ontario recommends that everyone aged 6 months or older get the flu shot. However, there are certain groups of people who are at greater risk of serious illness from flu-related complications and are considered priority groups for the flu shot:
• People with weakened immune systems (e.g. due to chronic illness or medical treatment)
• Pregnant women
• Young children under the age of 5
• Older adults over the age of 65
• Anyone who takes care of people in these groups, like health care providers, teachers, home care workers, day care providers and family members who have an infant in the home who is under 6 months and cannot be immunized themselves.
The Health Unit will be offering 30 clinics over the next 6 weeks with locations in the City of Thunder Bay, the surrounding rural communities as well as the district communities in Greenstone, Nipigon, Red Rock, Terrace Bay, Schreiber, Marathon and Manitouwadge.
The flu shot is available at the TBDHU flu clinics and at family doctors, health clinics, health centres, nurse practitioners, and it may be available at some neighbourhood retailers, pharmacies and workplaces.
For more information about the flu or for a flu schedule, visit thunderbayflu.ca or call the flu line at 624-9082 and toll-free at 1-866-607-3337.
