Is the flu vaccine effective?

One of the most frequently heard question at Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit flu clinics is: does the vaccine really work?

The answer is a simple yes.

The vaccine works because of a process that started almost a year earlier, at locations around the world. A surveillance program operated by 115 international health labs monitors the strains of influenza that have been emerging.

From that information, the World Health Organization — a branch of the United Nations — recommends a vaccine based on three prevalent strains of the flu.

This process has been very successful.

This year, the few cases of influenza that have been laboratory confirmed in Canada are the same strains that have been included in the vaccine.

Flu vaccines have been 70 to 90% effective against the flu – and among those who catch the flu it may reduce both the severity of the illness and the risk of hospitalization.

It is up to 95 per cent effective at preventing death.

It makes sense to get the flu shot. You not only protect yourself, you protect everyone around you.

For more information about flu vaccine clinics near you, check the website of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit atwww.simcoemuskokahealth.org. Or call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 18877-721-7520 from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.