inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf

inspiring canadians to live better.

healthing leaf
get healthing in your inbox with the morning checkup and weekender newsletter!
home / diseases & conditions / influenza (flu)

are you getting your flu shot? rexall survey says close to half of canadians are opting out or undecided

the number of canadians opting for a flu vaccine is just over 50 per cent, leaving vulnerable populations at a higher risk for grave complications.

by angelica bottaro
published sep 10, 2024
read time 5 minute read
join the conversation
read time 5 minute read
join the conversation
getting your flu shot protects you and people who are more vulnerable – children, older adults, pregnant women and people who are immunocompromised – from severe infection. getty images
a new survey conducted by rexall has found that 48 per cent of canadians are either undecided about getting their flu shot, or have already decided to forgo the vaccination. for many, the seasonal flu is a simple illness that clears up quickly. lucky individuals often recover from the viral infection after only a few days’ rest, plenty of liquids, and some serious fighting from their immune systems. that said, others are not so lucky.
specific populations, such as young children, older adults, pregnant people, and those who are immunocompromised or living with other chronic health conditions, including asthma, diabetes, and heart disease, do not have the same experience with influenza.
these populations are at a higher risk for severe disease, hospitalization, and, in the worst cases, death from infection complications. because of this, getting an annual flu shot is a viable and readily available prevention measure that can keep these people feel safer in the midst of flu season.

the survey data

in canada, roughly 35 per cent of all survey participants say they will not get the vaccine, with 13 per cent stating they are undecided.
canadians under the age of 54 are more often than not skipping the vaccine. the survey data showed that only 41 per cent of people in that age group will be getting vaccinated. parents who have young children are also forgoing vaccinations at a rate of 60 per cent.

related stories

is it covid, flu or rsv? new survey reveals older canadians not aware of rsv despite health risks
older adults are at high risk for severe disease in part because of age-related decline in immunity.
rsv is a common contagious respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms like a runny nose, cough and fever. but it can also cause respiratory tract infections such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia.

cold and flu season: everything you need to know about symptoms, prevention and treatment
as the seasons change and the temperatures drop, the arrival of cold and flu season looms, affecting millions of people worldwide.
colds and the flu are usually mild and tend to get better on their own for most people. but they can cause more serious problems.
story continues below
according to the survey, the reasons behind the lack of vaccinations in the country include personal beliefs and feeling as though they don’t need to get vaccinated because the flu does not affect them as severely as it does others.
in a recent study further examining the “why” behind people’s reluctance to get vaccinated, data showed that healthy people chose not to because they “never get the flu” at a rate of 5.8 per cent, along with those who did not believe they were at a high risk of severe complications at a rate of 3.4 per cent.
for 13.6 percent of people, fears or concerns surrounding the side effects of the vaccine were the biggest reasons for refraining from the shot, while 3.4 per cent and 2.2 per cent of people didn’t believe the shots worked or didn’t believe in vaccines, respectively.
the most commonly reported reasons for not getting vaccinated were no reason at all, at a rate of 19.9 per cent, and people simply not getting around to it due to their busy lives, at a rate of 16.9 per cent.

flu season and the community impact of the vaccine

flu season affects various people in different ways. those below the age of five and those over 65 are the most likely to experience hospitalizations due to the flu, stemming from severe manifestations of the infection.
story continues below
each year, roughly 12,200 canadians will have to be hospitalized due to the flu and related complications.
death is also more common in older adults, a grave complication of the flu that many healthy individuals don’t have to worry about. in 2022, close to 6,000 canadians died from the flu in canada, with those over the age of 65 making up the majority of deaths.
that said, those between the ages of 20 to 64 can still experience death due to severe flu infections. as reported by statista, 574 people in that age group died due to flu infection and complications.
in children under the age of 26, 10 deaths were reported in that same year.
healthy individuals who opt to get the vaccine are protected against the flu at a rate of 50 per cent, with the risk of developing severe infection and complications also being reduced by 50 per cent when vaccinated.
vulnerable groups also get protection against the flu when vaccinated, reducing their chance of going to the hospital for treatment and experiencing grave complications due to the infection.
the community impact stems from the fact that the flu vaccine is not 100 per cent effective in any population, so those who opt out of it altogether can still transmit the flu infection, even if they don’t get sick or are only mildly ill.
story continues below
when vulnerable populations who are vaccinated get the flu, there is still a higher risk of death or other harmful complications. this risk is even higher in these populations if they are unvaccinated, which can be especially dangerous for children who can only get vaccinated under their parents’ guardianship.

how to protect yourself from the flu

getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and others in your community against the flu. health canada recommends that everyone six months and older get the vaccine yearly, as its effectiveness does not last longer than one season.
adults and children over six months should get one vaccine dose each year. however, in children between six months and nine years old, two doses are required if it is their first time getting the flu vaccine.
in some cases, people may not get the flu vaccine because they do not have adequate information about what it is, does, or how it will affect them, so the first step in getting the flu shot is educating oneself about it.
the flu shot is considered an inactivated vaccine. it uses culture-grown virus particles to alert the immune system so that immune cells can learn about the specific strain and develop antibodies to it. if the virus does come back around, the immune system is ready.
story continues below
the virus particles injected into the body cannot replicate, so the vaccine is needed yearly to ensure that the body still has protective antibodies against it.
the side effects associated with flu vaccines are mild and dissipate within a few days. they typically include flu-like symptoms, including fever, a low-grade headache, muscles, and fatigue. redness, soreness, and mild swelling at the injection site can also occur in some individuals after the flu vaccine. less than 40 per cent of people will experience these mild effects.
other measures you can take to prevent the flu include:
  • avoiding touching your face, eyes, or nose unless you have washed your hands first
  • keep your hands clean, especially after touching publicly used objects, such as handrails or doorknobs
  • clean common and highly used surfaces, such as remotes, door handles, taps in the washroom, and cell phones
  • avoid others if you become ill, or stay away from others who you know are sick
  • cough or sneeze into the bend of your arm as opposed to your hand
  • use hand sanitizer with at least 60 per cent alcohol if you are unable to wash your hands
protecting yourself from the flu starts with good practices, but getting the flu vaccination will help reduce your risk of getting sick or experiencing severe illness while protecting vulnerable people around you from those same things.
story continues below
angelica bottaro
angelica bottaro

angelica bottaro is the lead editor at healthing.ca, and has been content writing for over a decade, specializing in all things health. her goal as a health journalist is to bring awareness and information to people that they can use as an additional tool toward their own optimal health.

read more about the author

comments

postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. we ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. we have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. visit our community guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

you may also like
bed, senior man and nurse with checkup for support, monitor health and wellness for healthcare. home, caregiver and elderly patient in retirement for medical condition, cancer and resting in bedroom
rsv threat: what older adults need to watch out for this respiratory season 
closeup of nurse with protective face mask on sitting at home and giving injection to an old woman during corona outbreak.
getting your flu shot: common misconceptions and importance of preventive care
senior woman sick and blowing nose at home from virus, allergy and illness on couch. tired, tissue and elderly female person in a house lounge with sneeze from cold and flu on a sofa with allergies
influenza in canada: stats, impact and resources
sick, flu and family on a bed, tissue and blowing nose with illness, disease and cold at home. parents, mother and father with siblings, children and kids in a bedroom, allergy and health issue
diagnosed with the flu: managing symptoms, vaccination and self-care
view from above. young sick upset woman sitting on the sofa at home covered with a blanket coughing intensely, sick girl with flu symptoms. copy space. banner
chronic lung conditions and flu season: staying safe and avoiding serious risks
you may also like
bed, senior man and nurse with checkup for support, monitor health and wellness for healthcare. home, caregiver and elderly patient in retirement for medical condition, cancer and resting in bedroom
rsv threat: what older adults need to watch out for this respiratory season 
closeup of nurse with protective face mask on sitting at home and giving injection to an old woman during corona outbreak.
getting your flu shot: common misconceptions and importance of preventive care
senior woman sick and blowing nose at home from virus, allergy and illness on couch. tired, tissue and elderly female person in a house lounge with sneeze from cold and flu on a sofa with allergies
influenza in canada: stats, impact and resources
sick, flu and family on a bed, tissue and blowing nose with illness, disease and cold at home. parents, mother and father with siblings, children and kids in a bedroom, allergy and health issue
diagnosed with the flu: managing symptoms, vaccination and self-care
you may also like
bed, senior man and nurse with checkup for support, monitor health and wellness for healthcare. home, caregiver and elderly patient in retirement for medical condition, cancer and resting in bedroom
rsv threat: what older adults need to watch out for this respiratory season 
closeup of nurse with protective face mask on sitting at home and giving injection to an old woman during corona outbreak.
getting your flu shot: common misconceptions and importance of preventive care