Northern Health is gearing up for the flu season and calling on the public to get to a local clinic.
Like the rest of the province, the north has seen lab-confirmed cases said Dr. Andrew Gray, though he couldn't confirm how many.
"It's too early to say with any confidence to say what this flu season will be like, but I've heard some suggestions that it's suspected to be a little worse," said Gray, the Northern Interior Health Officer, adding that could be heightened by a colder winter, which some projections have suggested.
"We tend to see worse flu outcomes with colder winters and again we're expecting a good vaccine match so that should reduce some of those impacts."
About five to 10 per cent of the population gets the flu each year and it leads to thousands of hospitalizations and hundreds of deaths.
"Even if you haven't had influenza in awhile, you never know when this year might be your year," he warned, adding it can be difficult to control because symptoms - fever, cough, muscle pain, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue - don't always show for a couple weeks.
This year the flu vaccine is expected to be a "pretty good match," which Gray said he hopes will lead to more people rolling up their sleeves for the shot this year.
"Last year I think there may have been a little more skepticism than usual because the year before that there had been a poor match."
Typically, the vaccine is about 60 per cent effective across all seasons, Gray said.
"We respect everyone's decision to take their health in their own hands and to do what they feel is the best for themselves and their family. That said as far as people who feel for example the flu vaccine may have caused them to get the flu ... That's not found to be the case in scientific studies.
"It's most likely a coincidence," he said, noting the vaccine can take two weeks before the effect reaches maximum potential and once contracted, can last seven and 10 days.
Like other parts of the province the H3N2 strain, which affects elderly and high risk patients more, is expected to be a problem this year.
"We don't tend to see any differences in the strains between north and the south of B.C.," he said.
The main goal is protection, said Patricia Strim with Public Health Regional Communicable Diseases.
"Number one is get your flu shot, frequent and proper hand hygiene is important, so is good cough etiquette and staying home if you're sick will help stop the spread of the flu to others," said Strim, the regional nursing lead.
Flu shots have already been offered in Fort St. James and Quensel, with other upcoming times and locations listed are on www.immunizebc.ca.
Starting this week Northern Health said the vaccine will be available at public health clinics, and free for those who qualify. Next week, on Wednesday and Friday, the Northern Interior Health Unit has a clinic from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
