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Chatham

There's Still Time To Get The Flu Shot

Health officials in Chatham-Kent are out with reminders to wash your hands, don’t spread germs, and yes, get your annual flu shot.

Public Health Nurse Nadeane Brull says it's not too late, just remember your body will need some time to build immunity.

"It does take two weeks to take effect," she says. "Right now it's low activity, but there is activity, so there still is time to go out and get it."

Brull says so far, there have only been two lab-confirmed cases of the flu locally, compared to over 200 in all of Ontario.

It's important to protect yourself now, she says, because the number of cases could increase at any time.

"You can pick it up from any surface where somebody has coughed or sneezed. So you want to make sure, as you're touching door handles, that you are using hand sanitizer," says Brull, "It is circulating -- it is in our community."

Brull adds they're finding this year's vaccine effective.

"It does appear to be a good match for the strains that are circulating," she says. "Right now it is influenza A - that's the most prevalent strain - and it is a good match, like I said, with the vaccine this year."

-With files from Matt Weverink.

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