Earlier this week, the CBC revealed a federal government report that says only 38 per cent of Canadians got the flu shot last season.
The report shared numbers obtained from the Public Health Agency of Canada. They showed the vaccination rate hasn’t risen much since 2015 despite ad campaigns that encourage Canadians to get the flu shot every fall and province-wide clinics that provide it for free.
The Health Agency had set a goal of 80 per cent of high-risk Canadians – those with chronic diseases - being vaccinated but only achieved half that target.
Meanwhile, an informal poll conducted online by the Virden Empire-Advance points towards similar reluctance to get the flu shot. Forty-six per cent of respondents said they would skip the jab this year.
Their top reasons were: they don't feel they need it, they don't believe it works, and they worry about side effects.
Free flu shot clinics wrapped up in Virden on Nov. 14; a few are still scheduled for other rural health centres around Manitoba.
Anyone who missed the clinic in their area can still get the flu shot from a public health office, doctor's office or pharmacy.
