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There are already cases of flu and hospitalizations in PEI.
Raphael Caron
Published yesterday at 2:16 PM CET
Public health officials in Prince Edward Island are already reporting cases of influenza and hospitalizations attributable to the virus in the province.
"I hope it won't be severe, but we've already had confirmed cases, which is really an indication that it's circulating all over Prince Edward Island ," said Dr. Heather Morrison , the province's chief medical officer of health.
She confirmed that two people were hospitalized with the flu last week in the province. She added that reporting cases earlier in the year is a trend observed across the country.
The flu circulates in the southern hemisphere during our summer, and normally it doesn't arrive here until November, December, or even January , she explains. But this year, we don't know exactly why, but it arrived here earlier.
The importance of vaccinations
Dr. Morrison also points out that last year, the majority of the approximately 100 people hospitalized on the island due to the flu were not vaccinated.
To curb the spread of the virus, she strongly recommends that islanders get vaccinated. The vaccines, offered free of charge, are administered in pharmacies, clinics, and by doctors and nurse practitioners.
It's not a 100% effective vaccine, but it reduces the chances of being hospitalized, [...] the number of days you're sick , she says. It reduces the risk of even having a heart attack, an exacerbation of the COPD. So it helps and it's something we can do to protect ourselves.
Prince Edward Island's chief medical officer of health also mentions that a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is available to people aged 75 and over, as well as those aged 60 and over who are at risk due to chronic illnesses. She clarifies, however, that people who were vaccinated last year do not need another dose this year.
According to her, the vaccine has reduced hospitalizations due to RSV in adults by about 50% last year, a figure that reaches 90% for babies.
ici.radio-canada.ca
Raphael Caron
Published yesterday at 2:16 PM CET
Public health officials in Prince Edward Island are already reporting cases of influenza and hospitalizations attributable to the virus in the province.
"I hope it won't be severe, but we've already had confirmed cases, which is really an indication that it's circulating all over Prince Edward Island ," said Dr. Heather Morrison , the province's chief medical officer of health.
She confirmed that two people were hospitalized with the flu last week in the province. She added that reporting cases earlier in the year is a trend observed across the country.
The flu circulates in the southern hemisphere during our summer, and normally it doesn't arrive here until November, December, or even January , she explains. But this year, we don't know exactly why, but it arrived here earlier.
The importance of vaccinations
Dr. Morrison also points out that last year, the majority of the approximately 100 people hospitalized on the island due to the flu were not vaccinated.
To curb the spread of the virus, she strongly recommends that islanders get vaccinated. The vaccines, offered free of charge, are administered in pharmacies, clinics, and by doctors and nurse practitioners.
It's not a 100% effective vaccine, but it reduces the chances of being hospitalized, [...] the number of days you're sick , she says. It reduces the risk of even having a heart attack, an exacerbation of the COPD. So it helps and it's something we can do to protect ourselves.
Prince Edward Island's chief medical officer of health also mentions that a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine is available to people aged 75 and over, as well as those aged 60 and over who are at risk due to chronic illnesses. She clarifies, however, that people who were vaccinated last year do not need another dose this year.
According to her, the vaccine has reduced hospitalizations due to RSV in adults by about 50% last year, a figure that reaches 90% for babies.
Déjà des cas de grippe et des hospitalisations à l’Î.-P.-É.
Afin de freiner la propagation de la grippe, la médecin hygiéniste en chef de l’Î.-P.-É. recommande fortement aux insulaires de se faire vacciner.
ici.radio-canada.ca