The CEO at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit hopes you will get your flu shot this year.
Nicole Dupuis said it is available now, easy to get, and particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of the symptoms of influenza are similar to COVID-19, so if you have them, it is still important to get tested at either the assessment clinic at Windsor Regional Hospital's Ouellette Campus or Erie Shores Healthcare.
Those symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, fatigue, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, headaches, and muscle aches. Both viruses spread when an infected person coughs for sneezes.
Typically, the flu causes 12,200 hospitalizations in Canada each year and 3,500 deaths, but last year's influenza season was quiet. There were only 180 lab-confirmed cases.
Dupuis figures it's likely because of all the precautions we were taking at this time last year to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but now that more businesses are open and social gatherings, within limits, are allowed, cases could be higher.
The virus can be particularly harmful to infants under six months, those over 65, pregnant women, and those with chronic illnesses. You might consider it just a seasonal bug, but Dupuis said it could have serious consequences.
"Complications from catching the flu can include serious conditions like pneumonia, heart attack, and in some cases, death," she said.
The flu shot is free at many pharmacies across the region, primary care providers like family doctors, and walk-in clinics.
Dupuis also said it is safe to get the flu shot at the same time as your COVID-19 vaccination.