The province is urging Albertans to get immunized against this year’s influenza strains and has opened a number of clinics across the province to provide flu shots.

Calgarians were eager to get inoculated on the first day of public clinics and there were lineups at some locations when the doors opened on Monday.

“We’re starting with our public clinics today, so we have our public health clinics, the vaccine is also available at a number of pharmacies and some physician offices,” said Dr. Judy MacDonald, Medical Officer of Health for the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services. “I think lineups, those are the people that get it. They realize that influenza is serious and they want to be first in line or get their influenza vaccine on the first day so it’s good that people are taking it seriously.”

"I don't want to get sick," said James Horvath, a Calgary engineer. "The clinics only have the vaccine two days from now. Every year, I am at Brentwood."

There are four clinics in Calgary:

  • Brentwood Village Mall – 3630 Brentwood Road N.W.
  • Northgate – 495 36 Street N.E.
  • Richmond Road Diagnostic Treatment (Old Children’s Hospital) – 302 1820 Richmond Road S.W.
  • South Calgary Health Centre – 31 Sunpark Plaza S.E.

The clinics are open during the week from 11:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:15 p.m.

This year, the Ministry of Health has decided not to offer the nasal spray and immunization will be by injection only.

“The injectable vaccine and the nasal spray are both equally effective and safe. At one time we thought that the nasal spray was a little more effective, especially in young children, but that’s not found to be the case so the injectable versus the nasal spray, very similar effectiveness and same safety profile,” said Dr. MacDonald.

Dr. MacDonald says there have been a few outbreaks of influenza AH3 in the city and that the vaccine covers several strains.

“There are several different strains of influenza virus. There are two influenza A strains that sometimes we see one coming one year and one the next so one of them is influenza AH3 and that can be a very serious influenza strain, that’s what we’re starting to see this year, we saw it last year. There's another influenza A, AH1 strain, that sometimes will show up a little bit, we’ve seen a few cases of it already, and then we have one or two influenza B strains that typically wait until things settle down from the influenza A and show up in the spring typically,” she said.

Physicians say people need to take influenza seriously and that the best protection is getting vaccinated.

“If you get no vaccine, then you can get influenza instead. Our influenza vaccines have different effectiveness depending on what’s circulating and how well that matches what’s in the vaccine but as I recommended, with three or four different strains covered, that’s the best way to protect yourselves,” said MacDonald. “Some people may think influenza is just a mild respiratory illness, maybe similar to a cold, but in actual fact influenza is a serious respiratory infection, even healthy people can have a severe course and end up in hospital or worse. It’s not something that you should take lightly. Vaccine is the best way you can protect yourself and also others against influenza.”

Over 1600 people were hospitalized in the province last year with influenza.

Click HERE for more information on immunization and to find a clinic…