B次元官网网址淥w!B次元官网网址� Joseph Salverda yells, as the six-year-old gets his first flu shot. As soon as the needle is out, though, he goes back to his smiling, friendly self.
HeB次元官网网址檚 the oldest of his three siblings, including four-year-old Cherith B次元官网网址� who doesnB次元官网网址檛 make a peep B次元官网网址� Peter (2, lands a punch) and three-month-old Abigail. Their mother, Brittny Salverda, went first to show her young brood how itB次元官网网址檚 done, and they take turns sitting on her lap as they get inoculated.
B次元官网网址淭his is one piece in our effort to be healthy,B次元官网网址� the mom of four said. Their young family has been hit by the flu before, B次元官网网址渁nd each time itB次元官网网址檚 pretty terrible. We thought weB次元官网网址檇 make good efforts this time around to try to avoid it.B次元官网网址�
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In the public health unit at the Saanich Centre, Medical Health Officer Dr. Dee Hoyano said Island Health encourages parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu.
B次元官网网址淣ow is the time to get it rather than waiting until December or January when really your chances of being exposed are much higher. It still takes a little bit of time for your body to build the protection from the vaccine, so think about getting your flu shot now,B次元官网网址� Hoyano said.
The Public Health Agency of Canada estimates 3,500 people die of flu-related complications every year across the country, she said. Children, seniors and people with medical conditions are most at-risk for suffering from the flu.
B次元官网网址淚f you have an elderly person in your home, if you have a baby in your home or youB次元官网网址檙e in regular contact with people like that, you definitely also qualify for the flu vaccine,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淲e know the flu vaccine is a very safe vaccine. It has very few side effects and itB次元官网网址檚 beneficial. It helps prevent you from getting sick and it also helps prevent your community from getting sick, because if you donB次元官网网址檛 get the flu, then youB次元官网网址檙e not going to be able to pass it on.B次元官网网址�
While clinics offer flu shots, pharmacists throughout Greater Victoria also provide the annual vaccine, which pharmacy manager Dave Jeske said can be more convenient. At Broadmead Pharmasave where he works, theyB次元官网网址檝e seen approximately 20 to 30 per cent more people get the flu shot each year, because pharmacies have longer hours and donB次元官网网址檛 require appointments.
B次元官网网址淚 tell people itB次元官网网址檚 partly about protecting themselves, but it goes beyond that. Although people will say, B次元官网网址業 wonB次元官网网址檛 get the flu,B次元官网网址� itB次元官网网址檚 about protecting others from getting the flu,B次元官网网址� Jeske said.
Whether or not youB次元官网网址檝e had the flu before is not an indicator that you wonB次元官网网址檛 get the flu in the future, he said, especially since the influenza strains change every year. He himself has had the flu before, and was B次元官网网址渒nocked flatB次元官网网址� for nearly 12 days as it worked through his system. At the time he was young and healthy.
B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 imagine a child or elderly person going through that same process because it was very difficult.B次元官网网址�
Once all three Salvedera kids get their shots (baby Abigail has already had hers), the nurse tells them, B次元官网网址淵ouB次元官网网址檙e still brave if you cry.B次元官网网址� By the time the family is packed up and ready to leave, the tears have dried and all the kids are smiling again.
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