Seasonal-Flu Vaccination

Symptoms

Flu

Cold & flu

Fever

Annual seasonal-flu vaccinations will start on November 1. A new vaccine is administered each year based on the circulating strains of the virus during the winter. This year, the vaccine contains three strains of the flu virus: two type A strains and one type B. This seasonal-flu includes the influenza A(H1N1) strain, responsible for the pandemic occurend in 2009.

The vaccine is safe and does not contain any live virus. As a result, it cannot transmit the disease. Vaccination cannot protect you, however, against more mundane infections such as colds, which are often mistaken for the flu. See differences between Flu and Cold.

People targeted by the free program

Vaccination is free for people at higher risk of developing complications either due to their age or health:

Children age 6 to 23 months
People with certain chronic diseases [1], such as heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, major obesity, cancer, asthma or a weakened immune system (also applies to pregnant women, regardless of the stage of pregnancy);
Pregnant women in good health who are in their 2nd or 3rd trimester;
People age 60 or older;

Close contacts of groups of people at risk or of children under six months old, health-care workers, and pregnant women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester can also receive the vaccine at no charge. This year again, it is also free for people who live in remote or isolated areas.

Anyone else who wants protection against the seasonal flu can be vaccinated at their own expense.

Where to Get Vaccinated

For more information about the seasonal-flu vaccination procedure, consult the website of your Agence de la santé et des services sociaux [2].

If your region doesn’t appear in this list, contact your regional local Centre de santé et des services sociaux (CSSS). Consult the directory of Centres de santé et de services sociaux (CSSS) websites [3].