Immunization numbers soar during unremarkable Alberta flu season

CTV Calgary: Peak flu season approaches Rylee Carlson reports on Alberta's 2014/2015 flu season and compares it to years past.

As the 2014/2015 flu season approaches its peak, officials with Alberta Health Services say influenza mortality rates and case numbers are on par with an average year.

“The bottom line is so far it’s tracking to be a fairly ordinary influenza season however it is hitting older people significantly harder than it did last year,” said Dr. James Talbot, Alberta’s Chief Medical Officer of Health.

According to Alberta Health Services, as of January 8, 2015, Alberta’s 2014/2015 flu season has seen:

In an average flu season, an influenza death rate of 30 to 40 Albertans is common. The predicted death rate for 2014/2015 season is consistent with the average.

“Elderly Albertans have been impacted the most,” said Dr. Talbot. “H3 strains, which is the dominant strain circulating in Alberta this year, are known to attack the elderly and have a higher impact on them.”

“The rate of lab confirmed cases amongst those over the age of 80 is four times higher this season than it was last season.”

In Alberta’s 2014/2015 flu season:

Dr. Talbot adds senior care facility residents are immunized early in the flu season but there have been a large number of outbreaks this year in long term care facilities

To fight the spread of influenza, all Albertans are encouraged to:

Alberta Health Services has scheduled the following influenza immunization clinics for the Calgary Area:

Brentwood Village Mall (3630 Brentwood Rd. N.W) and South Calgary Health Centre (Third floor, 31 Sunpark Plaza S.E.)

Northgate (495 36 St. N.E.)

Dr. Talbot says this season’s vaccine protects against H1N1 and offers partial protection against H3N2.

‘Every year, surveillance is done as to what the best choices for the vaccine are,” said Dr. Talbot. “Some years the predictions come closer to the mark than others but they have to be done in advance because it takes months, including the approval process, to make sure the vaccine is safe before the vaccine is made available.

“The H3N2 circulating is slightly different than the one which is found in the vaccine and so we have a partial match. With H3N2, we know from previous years that a partial match is still better than not getting the vaccine at all.”

This flu season, 53 per cent of Alberta’s health care workers have been immunized, up from 51 per cent at this point in last year’s season. Alberta Health Services plans to review the immunization rate of health care workers after the flu season and may consider enforcing immunization as a condition of employment or requiring workers to wear masks.