This time last year the H1N1 virus was all anyone talked about, but this year almost nothing has been heard.
“Last year was a different flu season because the H1N1 flu emerged very late in the planning stages for vaccinations for the flu. This season is going back to what has been the norm,” said Carol Snell, Media Relations for Hastings Prince Edward County health unit.
Out of six Loyalist College students interviewed, not very many are worried about H1N1 and getting sick.
“I am a little bit, just because it was so big last year. But since we haven’t heard anything I don’t really know,” said Cally Post, a first year culinary student.
Are we letting our guard down one year later? With the topic basically unheard of in the media recently, one may think so. There have been no reports of people being ill and no information on what this flu season is going to entail.
“More details will be known on October 6 when the Board of Health meeting is being held,” said Snell.
“I’m hoping not, it’s very much there. Coughing and colds are how it’s spread and we have to be diligent in taking care of our own health,” said Lauren Deans, Loyalist College Nurse.
To prevent yourself from getting the flu and spreading germs, it’s vital to wash your hands frequently, stay home if you’re sick and cover your mouth when you cough. In the middle of October, flu shots will be made available to the public. H1N1 is part of this year’s vaccine; it has gone from being a pandemic flu to a seasonal flu. This is the 11th year that the province has offered flu shots to Ontario residents.
“We’re looking at probably a fairly mild flu season this year,” said Snell, “that’s the best prediction that we’re hearing based on the evidence from the Southern Hemisphere, which is ahead of us on every flu season and we look to the Southern Hemisphere to see what the flu activity is there to predict what it probably will be in our hemisphere for the coming flu season.”
Posted on November 1, 2010
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