Flu slow to spread in Manitoba: WRHA

All Prairie provinces except Manitoba have reported cases of the flu this year, says Dr. PierrePlourde, theWinnipeg Regional Health Authority medical officer of health.

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The first wave of flu is slow to arrive in the province this yearbut could arrive as early as January,he said. The second wave is expected in March or April.

That means there's still time to get prepared for this year's flu by keeping up with frequent handwashing and getting the flu shot, he said.

"It's really never too late to get the vaccine," said Plourde.

This year about 11 or 12 per cent of Manitobans have received the flu shot, which is on par with last year, Plourde said.

That percentage could be even higherbecause pharmacies administering the flu shot have not reported their numbers yet, he said.

"This year's vaccine is new in that it has two advantages over last year's vaccine," said Plourde.

The 2015-16 flu vaccine contains four different virus strains instead of the previous three and includes a strain of influenza that has already infected people in other provinces this year, he said.

"[That virus] iswell covered by the vaccine," he said.

For those who do get flu-like symptoms, Plourde recommends theystay home and continue frequent handwashing even a week after recovering from the illness, because the body continues to shed the virus for days.

"With influenza you will normally have fever with a cough that is not just a tickle in your throat cough, but you can feel the pain down in your chest and aches and pains all over your body. If you're feeling anything like that, you probably don't want to be at work anyway, because you'll need the rest," he said.

WhereManitobans can get a flu shot:

• Family doctor's office
• Walk-in clinics
• AllQuickCareclinics
• Pharmacies