infants and children among those at risk of developing serious complications resulting from flu
health organizations and pediatricians say annual flu shot is one way to help protect against flu
4 minute read
“young children who come down with flu are at risk of developing ear infections or sinus infections,” says dr. rupesh chawla, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at jim pattison children’s hospital in saskatoon. getty
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as the weather turns colder and we start spending more time indoors, most of us know to be vigilant about handwashing to help avoid picking up viruses such as influenza, commonly known as the flu. what many canadians may not be aware of, however, is the risk flu poses. seasonal influenza remains a significant disease burden in canada during the fall and winter months. influenza is ranked among the top 10 leading causes of death in canada.
in the 2023-2024 flu season, nearly 80,000 influenza cases have been reported across canada, of which one in three cases were in children and adolescents.
anyone is susceptible to the influenza virus, but certain groups are at higher risk of experiencing flu-related complications or becoming hospitalized. among them are adults 65 and older, pregnant people, and children between six months and five years old.
“young children who come down with flu are at risk of developing ear infections or sinus infections,” says dr. rupesh chawla, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at jim pattison children’s hospital in saskatoon. “but what tends to land children in the hospital during flu season are secondary, bacterial infections resulting from flu, which can be quite serious.”
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during the last flu season, nearly 5,000 flu-associated hospitalizations were reported, with the highest rates among adults 65 and older, and children under five. during the 2023-2024 flu season (october 1, 2023, to may 11, 2024), there were more than 1,000 flu-associated pediatric hospitalizations.
as someone who treats children with flu-related complications, dr. chawla is passionate about spreading the word on the importance of children receiving an annual flu shot. “we as health-care providers — whether physicians, nurses, pharmacists — need to recognize that pediatric patients are at risk for complications. i feel it’s our responsibility to deliver the message that we recommend children get vaccinated every year as soon as flu shots are available in the fall to help reduce the risk of getting the flu.”
visit your local pharmacy or doctor’s office and ask them how you can help protect yourself and your family from the flu or have less severe symptoms if you get the flu. getty
dr. chawla points to the national advisory committee on immunization (naci) and the canadian paediatric society (cps), both of which recommend annual flu shots, which should be offered for children aged six months and older who do not have a contraindication to the vaccine. health organizations emphasize that, although its effectiveness can vary from season to season, the flu shot is a proven way to help reduce the risk of getting the flu.
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“i find a lot of parents are unaware that the flu can cause complications in their kids, so it’s a matter of educating them,” says dr. chawla. one of the concerns parents have about the flu shot, says dr. chawla, is that it will cause the flu. “i hear that a lot,” he says. “i tell parents that flu shots are made with a killed — or inactivated — flu virus, so it is impossible to get the flu from the vaccine.”
parents also question why the flu shot is given annually. “the flu is among the most variable viruses we vaccinate against,” explains dr. chawla, referring to the fact that the influenza virus can change from year to year.”
another group who should take the flu seriously is people who are pregnant. the public health agency of canada says that during pregnancy, the body undergoes various changes that can impact the immune system, heart, and lungs, making it more difficult to fend off infections. as such, pregnant individuals are at risk of severe disease from flu.
the society of obstetricians and gynaecologists of canada recommends people who are pregnant receive a flu shot during flu season, as flu symptoms tend to be more severe during pregnancy. getty
the society of obstetricians and gynaecologists of canada (sogc) recommends people who are pregnant receive a flu shot during flu season to help reduce the risk of getting the flu. pregnant individuals who get the flu are more likely to develop serious complications.
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there are a variety of effective flu vaccines available in canada. flu vaccines can differ in how they are manufactured. in canada, most inactivated flu vaccines are produced in eggs. “essentially, embryonic chicken eggs are used to incubate the virus, and then the fluid containing the virus is harvested from the eggs and an antigen is developed,” explains dr. chawla.
alternatively, flu viruses used in cell-based vaccines are grown in cultured mammalian cells rather than in chicken eggs.
flucelvax® quad is the only mammalian cell-based influenza vaccine authorized in canada. it helps prevent influenza in adults and children as young as six months old. flucelvax® quad does not protect everyone who gets vaccinated and will not treat the flu or its complications. side effects can include pain at the injection site, headache, tiredness, muscle pain, and nausea. these are not all possible side effects. for more information, please refer to the product monograph at cslseqirus.ca.
flucelvax® quad will be available for free as part of the provincial vaccination programs in ontario, alberta, new brunswick and nova scotia for the 2024-2025 season.
as we get further into the fall months, dr. chawla has the flu shot on his mind. “between september and october is when we like to see parents planning to get their kids vaccinated,” he says. “the hope is everybody gets a flu shot by the end of october — that would be the ultimate goal. but it’s never too late; vaccination after october and as late as february can help provide protection during peak flu season. that said, earlier is better.”
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flu shots for all members of your family are available at convenient locations near your home or work. visit your local pharmacy or doctor’s office and ask them how you can help protect yourself and your family from the flu. as with all vaccines, 100 per cent protection cannot be guaranteed.
this story was created by content works, postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of flucelvax® quad.
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