A bout with the flu can be debilitating for a healthy adult and deadly for seniors. That's why the province is taking new steps to protect some older patients.
This year, seniors living in Winnipeg personal care homes will be offered a new type of influenza vaccine. It is a more potent version of the vaccine, with a higher concentration of the antigen than is typically given to the general population.
Medical officer of health Dr. Tim Hilderman says with increasing age, the body’s ability to mount a good immune response to vaccines declines. That's why he feels this high-dose version will be effective in the personal care home setting. "It's going to produce a higher antibody response, a better immune response," said Dr. Hilderman. "And that will translate into more effective prevention of influenza and its complications."
Following the conclusion of this year’s flu season, the province will assess the effectiveness of this new vaccine. Due to confidentiality reasons, the province will not disclose exactly how much the higher dose vaccine is costing. However, officials say it is somewhat more expensive than the usual vaccine.
