Free flu shots now available on P.E.I.

Free flu shots are now available at public health clinics on P.E.I.

Anyone wanting to get the flu shot must show a valid health card.

A list of the clinic locations and dates is on the Health PEI website.

The Flumist is not available this year.

The vaccine being used across the country has protection against two influenza-A strains as well as two influenza-B strains.

P.E.I. usually begins to see flu cases in November with the season peaking at the end of December into January, according to the province.

Last year's flu season was a bad one two different strains of flu caused about a 50 per cent increase in the number of cases and people hospitalizedcompared to 2017. There were about 136 hospitalizations and six deaths.

Vaccines have been distributed to pharmacies, doctor's offices, nurse practitioners and Public Health Nursing 60,000 in all. That's about 5,000 more than last year,and Chief Public Health Officer Dr. Heather Morrison said she hopes more Islanders will take advantage of the free shots.

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