愛污传媒

Health

    • Experts warn the flu could make a comeback this winter

    Share
    TORONTO -

    Last winter, the flu was almost nonexistent due to lockdowns and public health measures aimed at cutting down COVID-19 cases, but experts are warning that this year, we may see a resurgence.

    Traditionally, winter is the start of cold and flu season as people head inside to avoid the cold weather. Last year, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) only reported 79 lab-confirmed cases of influenza in its 2020-21 season, a fraction of the 54,000 cases logged the year before that.

    But now, doctors across the country are reporting an increase in children and adults with colds and respiratory viruses.

    鈥淲ithout question, we are going to see influenza this year higher than we saw last year,鈥 Dr. Gerald Evans, an infectious disease expert, told CTVNews.ca.

    鈥淲hether it's going to be a sort of classic seasonal surge like we typically see or whether it'll still be muted by the fact that we have a fair bit of public health measures still in many places in Canada, that's the variable that we don't know what impact that's going to have.鈥

    The minuscule amount of flu cases last year was a byproduct of all of the masking, physical distancing and lockdowns that were implemented to battle COVID-19. But with more than 87 per cent of the eligible population vaccinated, in some regions of the country, those public health measures have eased, causing doctors to wonder if the flu will make a comeback.

    It鈥檚 hard to be sure. There isn鈥檛 much of the virus circulating right now

    Dr. Donald Vinh, with McGill University Health Centre, told 愛污传媒 that there has been 鈥渟ignificantly low flu activity in many countries, in many regions of the world 鈥 including the southern hemispheres, which is usually a harbinger of what we anticipate in the northern hemispheres.

    鈥淪o some people interpret that as meaning that we may have a mild flu season in terms of the number of cases,鈥 he said.

    On the other hand, there is a concern that because there has been a lower amount of flu circulating since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, this decreased exposure can lead to an outdated immune repertoire, where people may not have antibodies that are up to date to fight the current flu strains.

    A preprint study , still awaiting formal review, predicted what it called a 鈥渓arge compensatory influenza season in 2021-22鈥 due to a light season last winter.

    Some are already seeing a sharp spike in colds and other respiratory viruses across the country. The worry is that influenza could follow.

    鈥淭his could lead to more severe flu seasons, especially for those at risk in terms of hospitalizations and deaths,鈥 Vinh said.

    Already, the World Health Organization is reporting that while COVID-19 infections dominated most of 2020 and 2021, there is now a clear rise in influenza cases worldwide.

    鈥淲e're very much hoping that some of the reduction in influenza we saw last year might have been because COVID was circulating at the same time,鈥 Evans said. 鈥淏ut if that doesn't happen this year, then we're in for the infamous, what people like to call the 鈥榯windemic,鈥 which is two viruses causing a lot of cases, which can result in serious illness, and that would be very tough on the system to deal with.鈥

    If flu cases were to rise at the same time as COVID-19, this could mean that COVID-19 and severely ill flu patients could be fighting for the same resources, such as ICU beds and ventilators this winter.

    A from Australia called 鈥淭he importance of influenza vaccination during the COVID-19 pandemic" noted that flu was picking up in some countries and could 鈥減ose a renewed threat in the upcoming Northern Hemisphere winter", even though influenza circulation is currently low.

    Co-authored by Dr Ian G. Barr, WHO Collaborating Centre for Reference and Research on Influenza, Melbourne, the study states that 鈥渧iruses are still in circulation and can be rapidly transported when air travel returns leading to increased infections鈥, anticipating possible flu outbreaks later this year.

    鈥淚nfluenza vaccination [...] should not be ignored,鈥 said the report.

    Research from the UK is also suggesting the two vaccines can be administered at the same time safely

    And a study from University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, , found the flu vaccine may even provide added protection against severe outcomes if a person contracts COVID-19. Out of two cohorts of 37,000 people, those who had received an influenza vaccine had decreased sepsis and stroke associated with COVID-19, and had fewer emergency department visits.

    Those in the study who caught COVID-19 and hadn鈥檛 had the flu shot were up to 20 per cent more likely to have been admitted to the ICU.

    鈥淎lthough it isn't exactly known yet how the flu vaccine provides protection against COVID-19, most theories speculate that the flu shot may boost the innate immune system -- general defences we are born with that do not protect against any one specific illness,鈥 a press release on the study stated.

    It鈥檚 important to note that the flu shot is in no way a replacement for a COVID-19 vaccine.

    鈥淚t is safe to get your COVID shot, whether it's your first or second dose, and your flu shot at the same time, irrespective of the timing of each,鈥 Ajit Johal, a pharmacist and clinical director of Immunize.io, told 愛污传媒.

    Children as young as six months can get the flu shot, and measures like masking and staying home when sick 鈥 even with something other than COVID-19 鈥 are critical this winter, experts say.

    鈥淚f you have symptoms that might be of something contagious, COVID or not, please, please, don't mingle with others, don't go to work, don't go to school, find a way to stay home until the symptoms are gone, because you're going to wreak havoc,鈥 Noah Ivers, family physician and Canada Research Chair at Women's College Hospital and University of Toronto, told 愛污传媒.

    And as the weather cools, fall flu clinics will soon be opening across the country, as public health pushes every ounce of prevention going into another pandemic winter. 

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    Canada

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • A Real Canadian Superstore in B.C.'s Fraser Valley was evacuated Tuesday night due to a "suspicious" fire in the toilet paper aisle, according to authorities.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    • Vancouver Fire Rescue Services received its first shipment of new firefighting gear on Wednesday, advancing the department's plans to reduce cancer risk for its members.

    • A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Entertainment

    Business

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    Lifestyle

    • A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.

    • The Radium Hot Springs in British Columbia's Kootenay National Park has undergone a $29-million makeover.

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

    Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

    A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

    A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

    A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

    Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

    Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

    The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

    • Legend has it that on a dark evening in 1988, friends of Supt. Joe Atherton quietly buried his body on the site of the old provincial RCMP headquarters in Vancouver.

    • Since the record-breaking atmospheric river hit Metro Vancouver last Friday, 266 drivers have filed ICBC claims for water damage to their vehicles. In some places, flood water was so deep, cars floated away with the drivers still inside, and the engine running.

    • Brittany La Torre and her husband Marc moved into their West Vancouver home just six months ago, but after last weekend's storm brought a torrent of muddy water and debris into their basement, knocking out power, they're not sure whether they'll be living in it six months from now.

    • He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

    • Brampton is looking to the federal and provincial government to address the growing number of its vulnerable international students being exploited and trafficked.

    • A proposed inner-city apartment complex development by Anthem Properties is raising concerns for some residents of Hillhurst and West Hillhurst.

    • A new report suggests that Canadians' exposure to a radioactive gas is increasing, putting millions of people at a higher risk of developing lung cancer.

    • Speed was a possible factor in a Tuesday night rollover involving a semi-truck that left 17 cows dead. In a news release Wednesday, Calgary police said officers were called to the area of Stoney Trail S.E. and Macleod Trail S.E. around 8:10 p.m. for a reported rollover involving a semi-truck carrying 95 cattle.

    • One person has died and others have been injured after a two-vehicle collision involving a tractor trailer and a car on Highway 7 in eastern Ontario, according to police.

    • Homeowners with a variable rate mortgage in Ottawa can expect to see some savings thanks to a significant rate cut by the Bank of Canada.

    • A Zamboni driver in western Quebec has been arrested on suspicion of impaired driving after a low-speed crash at a hockey rink on Monday.

    • A pedestrian is in critical condition after being struck by a car in Saint-Michel Wednesday evening.

    • Nigel Berkley and CRARR plan to file complaints with the police ethics commissioner and the human rights commission after Berkley was repeatedly stopped while driving his mother's car over four months.

    • Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante will not be seeking re-election.

    • An Edmonton tow truck operator has been charged after police say he refused to release a vehicle to its owner.

    • The City of Edmonton has a long road ahead to replace aging ice arenas as demand for ice time increases.

    • The leader of Alberta's Official Opposition rolled up his sleeves for his COVID-19 and flu shots today, opting to receive them in front of media because he's concerned about vaccine uptake.

    • A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • A volunteer treasurer is facing charges after funds went missing from Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston鈥檚 riding.

    • A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

    • A 59-year-old man has died following a crash involving three vehicles that started after a tire fell off a car on the Trans-Canada Highway Wednesday morning in the RM of Tache.

    • A Manitoba inmate who was released from custody by mistake has been arrested, according to Winnipeg police.

    • Former Saskatchewan Party MLA Gary Grewal is defending his conduct and disagreeing with a recent report from the Conflict of Interest Commissioner (COIC) 鈥 which found he broke rules that prohibit MLAs from being involved with government contracts.

    • Southey RCMP say drivers should expect delays on Highway 6 Wednesday night after a serious crash.

    • Regina police says officers will provide an update Thursday in its search for the suspect of a homicide that took place in the city during the summer of 2023.

    • Detective Robert Hofstetter examined Erb鈥檚 home after her death and came to several conclusions based on the blood stains he found there.

    • A psychologist who recently assessed Geovanny Villalba-Aleman believes he may have experienced a psychotic break before stabbing three people in a gender studies class at a University of Waterloo.

    • Things could be looking up for Waterloo, Ont.-based company and former tech darling Sandvine, after being removed from the U.S. Department of Commerce Entity List earlier this week.

    • The race to form government is heating up ahead of the provincial election on Monday. Both the Saskatchewan NDP and the Saskatchewan Party feel they have the momentum as each leader has been focusing on different areas of the province as the campaign trail nears its end.

    • Canada's discount airline is suspending operations to and from Saskatoon.

    • The Saskatoon civic election is drawing closer, with mayoral candidates outlining their visions to keep the city competitive and attract businesses.

    • A Sudbury jury has found Felicity Altiman guilty of second-degree murder in the December 2020 stabbing death of a Sudbury man.

    • It only took minutes for North Bay pharmacist Brian Chute to be out $1,500 after fraudsters deceptively swapped his bank card with another.

    • The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

    • Under tough cross-examination at the London courthouse on Wednesday, Rachel Johnson, 21, was asked a number of times why there was a delay in calling 911

    • A 27-year-old man is miraculously alive after his pickup went over Hawk Cliff near Port Stanley. Fire fighters estimate that from the top to bottom of the embankment is around 270 feet.

    • OPP have confirmed that a transport truck driver crashed into a historic home just southeast of London this morning.

    • A haunted house in the Town of Innisfil is causing a real scare for some people a week before Halloween.

    • Barrie police conducted a search on Wednesday of the last place Autumn Shaganash was seen in hopes of giving her family some answers to her mysterious disappearance.

    • A 34-year-old motorcyclist has died following a collision in Barrie鈥檚 south end on Tuesday.

    • Windsor Fire and Rescue Services has been working to prepare for heightened HAZMAT risk ahead of relaxed restrictions around the transportation of some hazardous materials across the Ambassador Bridge.

    • As hospitals elsewhere in Ontario reintroduce mask mandates due to rising respiratory illnesses, Windsor hospitals are taking a more measured approach.

    • Now that production is set to begin at Windsor鈥檚 battery plant, NextStar is looking for some employees to make that production happen.

    • Two B.C. RCMP officers won鈥檛 face criminal charges for their use for force that left a man who had been arrested for public intoxication with a concussion, a torn shoulder and a chunk of his hair missing 鈥 but they could face professional discipline.

    • When 16-year-old Kaydence Bourque was struck and killed in a crosswalk on Cedar Hill Cross Road in Saanich in 2021, the community was shaken to the core.

    • A man who fired at least 19 gunshots at an RCMP detachment in northern British Columbia, narrowly missing officers inside, has won a reduced prison sentence from the province's highest court, which ruled the sentencing judge failed to fully weigh the man's mental illness at the time.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Graduate students looking to become mental-health professionals will have more opportunities to study in the University of Lethbridge鈥檚 Master of Education Counselling Psychology program.

    • A dazzling light display is making its return to Lethbridge this holiday season.

    • As part of anniversary celebrations, the City of Lethbridge is inviting the community to see VisitLethbridge.com Arena like they never have before.

    • The lack of 24-hour public washrooms has been a long-standing issue in the Sault, especially considering the rise in homelessness.

    • The union representing the fire rangers with the Ministry of Natural Resources says money won鈥檛 fix the systemic problems in the workplace.

    • Rallies by a group called Voices Against Violence took place across the country on Monday, including Sault Ste. Marie.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 愛污传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 愛污传媒