Flu season is here much earlier than suspected, and it’s knocking many people in North America off their feet and into bed with tissues and a snuggie.
With sniffles and coughing in mind, New Brunswick pharmacists are encouraging you to get your flu shot. It’s not too late, and it’s the best method to keep the flu at bay, says Paul Blanchard, executive director of the New Brunswick Pharmacists’ Association. He tells CHSJ news it’s important to get a flu shot every year, since the flu strain is always changing.
A big myth is that getting the vaccine could actually give you the flu, which Blanchard says is simply not true. He says the vaccine is made from dead cells of the influenza, which helps your body to develop an immunity. Blanchard says the flu is causing overcrowding in Boston emergency rooms, so the sooner you get it the better.
You can get the vaccine from one of the 230 pharmacists in the province who are trained to give injections. The cost is in the area of $20-$25, but it’s free if you’re over 65, have a chronic illness (such as diabetes, asthma, a suppressed immune system) and if you’re under 18.
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