It’s that time of year again. Coughs, fevers and sore throats are just a few of the symptoms that accompany a case of the flu. While reports predict this year’s flu season may be milder than previous years, it is impossible to know exactly how flu season will progress. The best defence against the flu is the influenza vaccine, especially for older adults who are at higher risk of complications from the influenza virus. The flu shot is quick, readily available, virtually painless and it can protect you. Whether you are living in your own home, with family, in a retirement community or long-term care facility, the flu shot can help you stay healthy throughout the winter.
Learn more about the flu and the benefits of getting the flu shot through our resources below.
Flu season has arrived: the flu shot is your first line of defence
Featured Resources
- Blog Post: Preventing the flu: Do vaccinations really work?
- Blog Post: 'Tis the season... Have you had your flu shot yet?
- Patient Decision Aid: Flu: Should I take antiviral medicine?
- Patient Decision Aid: Flu vaccines: Should I get a flu vaccine?
- Web Resource Ratings: Can oseltamivir (Tamiflu) prevent complications?
- Web Resource Rating: Flu shot: Your best bet for avoiding influenza
- Web Resource Rating: How much protection do flu vaccinations offer?
DISCLAIMER: These summaries are provided for informational purposes only. They are not a substitute for advice from your own health care professional. The summaries may be reproduced for not-for-profit educational purposes only. Any other uses must be approved by the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (info@mcmasteroptimalaging.org).
Many of our Blog Posts were written before the COVID-19 pandemic and thus do not necessarily reflect the latest public health recommendations. While the content of new and old blogs identify activities that support optimal aging, it is important to defer to the most current public health recommendations. Some of the activities suggested within these blogs may need to be modified or avoided altogether to comply with changing public health recommendations. To view the latest updates from the Public Health Agency of Canada, please visit their website.
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