Flu shot clinics open Monday in Calgary

Health officials are stocked up and hoping Albertans will start lining up to get the flu shot this week.

Clinics across the province open Monday and officials say they hope twice as many people will get the shot this year as did last year.

Senior medical officer of health Dr. Gerry Predy says despite all the news about various infectious diseases, influenza is still the virus that kills the most Albertans.

During the previous flu season, 1.2 million Albertans — or 27 per cent of the population — were vaccinated. The province says it has enough vaccine for 45 per cent of the population this year. 

Chief medical officer of health Dr. James Talbot says there will be more demand on the system this year with health-care workers on alert for another health threat — Ebola.

“Everything people can do to get that vaccine and take stress off the emergency departments, we'd be especially grateful for this year,” he said. 

The vaccination is free to all Albertans over the age of six months. 

The clinics are open from 11 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on weekdays, Saturday from 9:30 to 5:15 p.m. and they are closed on Sundays. There are four in Calgary:

• Brentwood (3630 Brentwood Rd. N.W.)
• Northgate (495 36th Street N.E.)
• Richmond Road Diagnostic Centre (1820 Richmond Rd. S.W.)
• South Calgary Health Centre (31 Sunpark Plaza S.E.)

For more information about the clinics click here.

Provincial health officials have launched a new marketing campaign to get more flu shots in the arms of Albertans, including a website called Alberta Flu Champs.