Most Canadian provinces and at least one territory say fewer people got the flu shot this year than in previous year — and that comes as the number of influenza cases continues to rise across the country.
There have been at least 11,790 cases of influenza detected in Canada as of the week ending Feb. 15, according to data from the Government of Canada. The percentage of positive tests has reached the highest it’s been since the start of the 2020-21 season at 26.9 per cent.
There have also been 103 new outbreaks associated with influenza nationwide.
One such outbreak is in Ontario’s Niagara Region.
“This has been one of the most significant outbreaks of influenza in a decade,” said Dr. Karim Ali, the medical director for infection, prevention and control and head of service, infectious diseases for Niagara Health.
“I don’t want to unnecessarily alarm everybody, but at the same time, I want people to take this very seriously, too.”
Between Feb. 9 and Feb. 15, the region’s public health agency reported a total of 131 influenza A cases and two influenza B cases. Since September, 935 total cases have been reported.
Ali said a “key factor” appears to be the drop in people getting the flu shot.
“What we know is this is a reasonable match in terms of vaccine, so that that seems to be the key factor here,” he said.
According to data provided by eight provinces and one territory, the percentage of flu vaccine coverage has dropped by a range of one to four per cent compared to the 2023-24 season.
The vaccination rates as of the week of Feb. 9 to 15, compared to the percentage seen in the 2023-24 season, are as follows:
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- British Columbia: 25 per cent compared to 28.2 per cent
- Alberta: 20 per cent compared to 24 per cent
- Saskatchewan: 20.3 per cent versus 24.6 per cent
- Manitoba: 23 per cent, a decline from 25.2 per cent
- Quebec: 18.2 per cent, a decrease from preliminary data of 20 per cent
- Nova Scotia: 26 per cent, down from 29 per cent
- New Brunswick: 28.9 per cent compared to 31.4 per cent
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 22.8 per cent, a decrease from 26.5 per cent
- Northwest Territories: 17.8 per cent, a decline from 19 per cent
Ontario and Prince Edward Island did not provide specific coverage rates when contacted by Global News.
In the case of Ontario, the Ministry of Health advised 4.2 million doses had been distributed across the province, though did not say how many doses were injected into arms.
Prince Edward Island said that due to multiple providers giving vaccinations, numbers are not yet available. However, the province’s chief public health officer said in a statement that they were expecting a slightly lower uptake compared to previous years.
Yukon and Nunavut did not provide coverage rates by publication.
Though a decrease of one or two per cent may seem small, doctors say even a slight decrease can mean a big impact on Canada’s health-care system.
“Health care is a limited resource in Canada and when we have beds occupied for one condition, those beds are not available to other patients,” said Dr. Craig Jenne, professor in the University of Calgary’s Department of microbiology, immunology and infectious diseases.
“If there are individual patients that we have mechanisms to prevent requiring severe treatment or prevent severe illness requiring treatment in places such as intensive care units, and we are not using those tools, then we unfortunately do expect those beds to be occupied.”
He said that can lead to more strain among health-care workers, burnout and more resources treating those patients that could be deployed elsewhere.
It’s not confirmed why fewer people are getting the flu shot, but doctors say it could be due to vaccine “fatigue,” as well as problems with access.
“Back in the day, if you had a family doctor who was doing this in his office, it was very easy,” said Dr. Christopher Labos, a Montreal cardiologist and epidemiologist.
“Now, because in a lot of places you have to make an appointment at a specific vaccine clinic or go to your pharmacy and get it done, you are putting the onus on individuals to remember.”
He added people’s belief that the flu is “not that bad” could also be keeping people from getting the shot.
The flu vaccine is not 100 per cent effective at preventing infection, Jenne notes, but it still can reduce the risk of getting the virus and is also designed to prevent severe illness and hospitalization.
According to estimates published by the Canadian Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance last month, people who got immunized were about 53 per cent less likely to need medical care for respiratory-related illness.
It’s why doctors say even if people feel the vaccine won’t keep them from the flu, they should still get the shot to prevent severe illness in addition to hopefully avoid the virus.
“The symptoms that you get after vaccination tend to be very mild, very localized,” Labos said. “Your arm will be a bit sore, you’ll have a little bit of redness, you might have a mild flu-like illness.”
Those symptoms could include body aches, fever, cough and potentially shortness of breath.
But among more serious cases, which Labos, Ali and Jenne note can be more prominent among those unvaccinated, people could end up with difficulty breathing, with some in the intensive care unit.
Since Aug. 25, 2024, a total of 104 influenza-associated deaths have also been reported by participating provinces — the number of deaths among vaccinated and unvaccinated was not identified.
“Even if you were infected in the fall, it’s late season now, there are still viruses out there and that vaccine continues to offer protection,” Jenne said.
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