Health Unit wants more people to get the flu vaccine

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit wants more people to get the flu vaccine.

The health unit says the most recent numbers from Statistics Canada show 37.7 per cent of people in Windsor-Essex got vaccinated.

"We would love to see that higher," said Lora Piccinin, the manager of infectious disease prevention at the Health Unit.

The health unit said it's spending a lot of time and energy promoting the importance of getting vaccinated, especially those most at risk.

The health unit recommends vaccinations to:

• people 65-years and older
• children under five, especially those under two
• pregnant woman
• those with chronic conditions that the flu can exacerbate
• those working with children
• those working with the most vulnerable

"Canadians are still dying from flu," Piccinin said. "So we're trying to send the message that if you protect yourself and you protect those around you then perhaps we can drop those numbers."

The health unit says in addition to getting vaccinated there are other way to keep you from getting the flu:

• cover your mouth when coughing
• cough into your elbow or tissue
• wash your hands frequently
• keep surfaces clean and disinfected

There is a flu shot clinic Wednesday, Oct. 26 between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit.