Flu vaccine required annually to be effective

Locals are stressing the importance of getting a flu shot every year. 

Elizabeth Zangari, 32, is a mother of two and said the shot is important to her family. 

“I get it to help protect myself and my family from getting the flu worse,” said Zangari. “Both my husband and I missed getting it one year and had the flu back to back a few times that year.” 

According to the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit’s website, pregnant women or women with young children are recommended to receive the vaccine. If not received, then the woman or the baby may get severely ill from the virus and may have to go to the hospital. The website also states the flu and pneumonia are one of the top 10 causes of death in Canada to date. 

“I have two children, my almost four-year-old has gotten it (the shot) every year so far and my eight-month-old will be getting it as well,” said Zangari. “I did get the shot when I was pregnant both times and it did not seem to affect me or the baby negatively.” 

Timothy Brady, 47, is the owner of two independent pharmacies in Essex and Belle River and said the vaccine was late arriving in Windsor-Essex this year due to production challenges. 

“The producers took a bit longer to produce the vaccine this year as they were going to be off with the formulation,” said Brady. “It looks like it will be a good formulation this year. The virus will change every year, that is why you need a new shot each year to make sure you are covered for the current strain.” 

He said the vaccine is made up of the coating of the flu virus and there is no active virus for people to get the flu from it. He said the body creates antibodies for the outside coating which allows the body to quickly fight the virus prior to it getting a hold and making someone sick. Therefore, the shot supports the body while resisting the virus if it comes. 

“If you are sick, you should not get the shot,” said Brady. “Your immune response won’t be good enough because your body is already fighting a different cold. You should really wait until you’re better before you get the shot.”

 There was a working flu vaccine for the U.S military and civilians as early as 1945. Brady said the vaccine has always been free to residents of Ontario, although there were restrictions on eligibility until the year 2000. Brady said there are no long term effects of the shot other than the fact of being immune to particular types of the flu virus. 

Zangari and Brady both suggest getting a flu shot every year along with other required immunizations to keep diseases away. 

“Overall, every year hundreds of people die from the flu in Canada,” said Brady. “It’s important that you get your shot so that you don’t spread the disease to those that you love.”