Fact sheet: Know the flu facts
The Flu can be a serious disease.
- The Flu is very contagious and can spread quickly and easily.
- Before you even know you are sick, you can pass the flu on to others.
- The flu can affect everyone, including those who are healthy, but people at higher risk of serious complications are:
- young children,
- adults aged 65 and over,
- pregnant women, and
- those living with a chronic health condition.
- In Canada, an average of 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths related to the flu occur each yearFootnote * .
You need to get vaccinated every year.
- Flu viruses change each year. Experts create a new vaccine to protect you each flu season.
You can’t get the Flu from the flu vaccine.
- The viruses in the flu vaccine are either killed or weakened and cannot give you the flu.
The Flu vaccine is safe.
- The flu vaccine has benefited millions of Canadians since 1946.
- Most people don't have reactions to the flu vaccine; those who do may have soreness, redness or swelling at the injection site.
- Severe reactions to the vaccine are extremely rare.
Everybody wins when you get vaccinated.
- By getting the flu vaccine, you protect yourself and others because you are less likely to spread the flu.
- It’s a simple action that can save lives.
To learn more and to find out where to get your flu vaccine, visit Canada.ca/Flu
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Organization: Public Health Agency of Canada
Type: Fact sheet
Date published: 2016-09-23
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