If you got your flu shot this year, chances are you haven’t gotten the virus.
Doctor Randy Gesell, the Northern Regional Health Authority’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, says that the early indicators show that this year’s vaccine is fairly effective, and better than it was last year.
Despite the vaccine performing well, statistics from the Manitoba Government show that the north had 130 confirmed cases of influenza between September 1st and January 4th, second only in the province to the 210 cases in Winnipeg.
Dr. Gesell says that the reports of positive flu cases are dependent on who gets tested, so the number of cases in the north could be up in part because of more testing.
He adds that the most prevalent strain of the virus this season is Type A, H1N1; the same strain that hit the north hard in 2009.
Data shows that the season has already peaked, though the number of active cases remains high.
Flu shots are still available through the Northern Health Region.
