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-y i . v % Continued from page 35 5 5 B NEWS : IMPORTANT TO DISPEL MYTHS ABOUT FLU VACCINE: ALAM Ww FE LIA Thursday 'said, adding that those who get the vaccine are protected about 70 per cent Milton Canadian Champion of the time. "It keeps priming your immune - system each year," she added. What are the different types of vaccines? There are two major types of flu vaccines on the market, Alam said. The trivalent vaccine covers three strains of the flu virus and the quadriva- lent, recommended for se- niors and high-risk groups, covers four strains. The quadrivalent vac- cine is particularly de- signed to target a declin- ing immune system. What are the most com- mon side effects of getting the vaccine? Most often, people who get the influenza vaccine will simply experience a " sore arm, Alam said. How- insidehalton.com ever, she adds, certain people may feel unwell for a few days as their im- mune system is being primed. "It takes about. seven days for the shot to fully take maximal effect," she added. What are the most seri- ous complications linked to the vaccine? Alam says Guillain- Barré syndrome has been associated with the flu shot, though the chance of a person getting the syn- drome is extremely rare. The syndrome causes a person's immune system to attack their nerve cells, causing muscle weakness. "It's so rare and it's a self-limited illness that goes away on its own, but people do have to go to the hospital if they feel incred- ibly weak, especially if they find it difficult to . walk, to get the support they need until the syn- drome passes," she said. Another rare side effect Number of Laboratory Confirmed Influenza Cases Age group % 0-4 Lem £ 13-18 @ 3) 19-44 45-64 §.d 65+ Number of cases for "2017-2018 season " 2018-2017 season Number of cases for 73 36 20 Source: Halton Region Health Department a to the vaccine is anaphy- laxis; Alam added. : How is the flu shot dis- tributed to different areas around Ontario? The vaccines are dis- tributed by Public Health Ontario to local health care providers based on uptake in that particular area, Alam said, adding WINTER VACATION NI UP TO 50% OFF [= FTe Gi LIT SS T= gl redtagca 18665REDTAG ga iv NES aR that this rate varies from neighbourhood to neigh- bourhood. "You want to try to bal- ance the needs of the neighbourhood with the availability of the flu shot." What are the most com- ~ mon myths associated with the flu shot? Metroland Graphic Alam says she most of- ten hears people saying that the flu shot doesn't work, or that they do not require a vaccine because they never get the flu. "They don't r&alize that it's kind of a matter of ran- dom luck and also a side benefit of the herd immu- nity that everyone else is 2018 | THE STORY BEHIND ' THE STORY It's important to dispel the myths of the dangers of the fly vaccine, | which saves untold number of lives each year providing them," she said. "Because if everyone else gets the flu shot, then they are protected, too. This is the solidarity piece." Alam says by and large, the flu shot has worked pretty well over the last decade or so to prevent any major epidemic. "I have seen it save lives and that is why I highly recommend it," she said. "These deaths from the flu, these hospitaliza- tions from the flu, major illnesses from the flu (are preventable). Even for a young healthy person, missing a week or two of work is a huge deal for people who have to pay their mortgages or take ..care of their parents and their kids. There are a number of reasons why getting a flu shot just makes seyse-" 2018 Christmas Songbooks will be available after December 1st. Limited copies available, hurry to reserve your copy, just email: klondor@metroland.com Please inch .2 "Songbook" in the subject line ILTON ie ian Champion.