The Ministry of Health has announced that they are going to review their flu vaccination program. The report isn't due until the Spring of 2017. So what should that mean for you and me now? Should we allow ourselves to be vaccinated?
The simple answer is that this review shouldn't change anything for this flu season. If you are at risk because of an underlying medical condition (for example: diabetes; lung, heart or kidney disease; an impaired immune system; etc), or you're pregnant, or around people who may be at an increased risk of the complications of the flu, you should be vaccinated.
The reason for the review makes excellent sense. There have been real problems lately with the efficacy of the vaccine with very low protection rates being reported. In fact, one product, the nasal spray flu vaccine, will not be used in the United States this season because of a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control questioning whether it really helps. There are also some studies which seem to indicate that if you vaccinate healthy people repeatedly, they may actually not benefit.
So a review is appropriate: let's figure out who to vaccinate, how often and with what but in the meantime, better some protection especially for our vulnerable populations, rather than none, so I will get vaccinated once the vaccine is available (I work in an Emergency Room and am in regular contact with vulnerable populations) and I hope you will consider it too!