Canucks! it’s time to get your flu shots! Parents please make sure your children get immunized.
Medical institutes have agreed that the benefits of flu shots far outweigh their side effects. It’s now strongly recommended that you and all members of your family get immunized. Many people in Canada can get the flu shot for free. Everyone in Ontario gets free flu shots! Here’s a summary of who gets free flu shots in each province:
Here are some helpful resources:
Canadian Coalition for Immunization, Awareness & Promotion (useful info)
Chart of Canadian Public Funding for Influenza Vaccination
Free flu shots schedules and locations:
If you know of any other city schedules please leave a comment and I’ll post it here
The flu shot is nothing more than a best guess of which viruses MIGHT be coming down the line. They never get it right, and the efficacy rate is about 6%
Do a little homework before you spout this propaganda.
Marie, flu shots have come a long way now. What is your source of the 6% efficacy?
propaganda? I’m not trying to influence anyone’s opinion here. I’m expressing my personal point of view and encouraging people to do something useful. I didn’t encourage people to take drugs or do anything harmful.
and even if the efficacy rate is about 6% as you claim (although I’m pretty sure it’s way higher than that) that’s still an improvement. As life progresses, health care is expected to improve too and flu shots are one of these revolutionary changes.
Hope you understand that I was only trying to send out a useful message 🙂
Being the nerdy librarian I am, here’s what the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has to say on the matter:
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/english/public/program/pubhealth/flu/flu_05/factsheets/flu_vaccine.html
I just don’t trust anything that the government launches a multi-million dollar ad campaign every year to coerce me to inject into my body.
But I’m just paranoid like that. 😉
Flu shots turn you into soylent!
Ottawa Schedule for Flu clinics
http://ottawa.ca/residents/health/conditions/cd/influenza/clinics_en.html
Just to add some more information about flu shots, here’s a report about a study from a few years ago:
http://www.cnn.com/2004/HEALTH/01/15/flu.vaccine/
There’s a lot of propaganda from both sides. Based on the reports that I’ve read, the main criticisms against the shot seem to be:
– It vaccinates previous years’ strains, not the current one
– It’s involved in the “superbug” phenomenon
The numbers suggest that placebo is the best protection it gives you since the differences against control groups aren’t statistically significant. But, it’s pretty hard to back any claims up–besides the efficiency rates–without delving into hearsay.
Personally, I think it’s up to the individual’s perceptions and needs. I used to take the flu shot, and I got the flu. Now I don’t take the flu shot, and I don’t get the flu. Coincidence? Maybe; but I don’t believe it works so maybe that’s it–I don’t really care. My Mom takes the flu shot every year and she doesn’t get the flu, but she believes it works. I’m glad she takes it; but it’s not for me.
Marie: Read reports from both sides before insulting someone’s intelligence–especially if it’s on their site. Numbers mean nothing if they aren’t backed up with evidence.
Boo Radley: Thanks for trying to help a cause you believe in.