Flu shot still worth getting despite vaccine mismatch, Sudbury doctor says

A Sudbury doctor is recommending everyone get vaccinated against the flu, especially seniors.

Dr. Janet McElhaney, a Sudbury geriatrician, says doctors have noticed H3N2 is circulating in Australia, which could give a preview as to what will happen in Canada.

"We always know that when H3N2 strains are coming, that it's going to be bad year for seniors," she said.

"We're trying to predict at least a year in advance what's going to come through the next winter. And we have that whole year for that virus to figure out how to get around that strain that we've identified as the one that's going to circulate."

McElhaney says a few years ago when H1N1 circulated, seniors were well protected as they were likely exposed to that flu strain during their childhood. She says seniors have not been exposed to the new strain of H3N2.

"We now know that for older people who are sick enough to have to be admitted to hospital with influenza illness that 15 per cent of them will develop what is called catastrophic disability from that illness," she said.

"That means that they lose two or more of their basic self care activities like bathing or walking."

Vaccine still worth getting

McElhaney says researchers work to have the shot match what strain of the flu is circulating, but says that doesn't always happen.

"We have a problem with a mismatch of the vaccine strain with what's circulating," she said.

"So the flu vaccine this year won't provide quite as good a protection, but it's important to know it still does."

Despite that, McElhaney says it is beneficial to get the flu shot.

"Antibodies are one line of defence and those are the ones that are very specific to the strain," she explained.

"The other part of the immune system called cell mediated immunity kills virus infected cells. That's still stimulated even when we get a vaccine mismatch on the strain."