Chatham-Kent's medical officer of health is pleading with people to get their free flu shot this year.
Dr. David Colby said the flu shots should arrive on Friday and he's encouraging the public at large to get them, due to the similarity between flu symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms. Colby said the lesser the confusion between the two, the smoother the winter will go for many people.
Colby added that the flu shot is safe and effective and will help those who get both viruses at the same time.
"The more people we get vaccinated against influenza, the less we'll have confusion with regard to COVID-19," said Colby. "If people get both infections, the weakened state from one will increase the severity of the other."
Colby emphasized that people can't get the flu from the vaccine itself.
"For many reasons, we're very strongly encouraging people to get a flu shot this year and hopefully we can dispense with all this anti-vaccine nonsense that continues to circulate," Dr. Colby said.
Dr. Colby said the vast majority of people can get the flu shot and it's very rare to become sick or to get side effects from the influenza vaccine. He added he's only had to recommend against getting the flu shot once in his 10 years as the top doctor in Chatham-Kent.
Pharmacies, clinics, and doctors' offices across Chatham-Kent should have the influenza vaccines available to the public in the next week or two.