New Brunwick braces for flu season – CBC

Flu numbers slowly making their way back up to pre-pandemic levels

Sep 20, 2022

New Brunswickers should prepare themselves for a potentially worse flu season this fall, health officials advise.

That includes getting the flu shot, which is expected to be available within the coming weeks.

“We know that there [has] been little influenza over the past two seasons, but we can expect more flu this year,” said Dr. Arifur Rahman, the province’s acting deputy chief medical officer of health.

With fewer people opting to get a flu vaccine over the past two years because of a lull in influenza cases, and the end last spring of COVID-19 protective measures, such as masking and physical distancing, more people are at a heightened risk of getting the flu, according to experts.

Australia’s 2022 influenza season also offers some clues of what could be in store in New Brunswick. The flu hits Australia first and infections there were higher than the five-year average — with infections notably spiking, then dropping, earlier than usual.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/flu-season-new-brunswick-covid-19-vaccine-1.6587910