Southern Health has wrapped its flu shot clinics for 2018.

Bev Unger is Regional Manager for Public Health/ Healthy Living. She says this year they held 73 advertised clinics in 59 communities. They held another 35 unadvertised or outreach clinics. Unger explains these 35 clinics were an attempt to reach those who might find it difficult to attend a public clinic or for the more vulnerable population.

"Based on my preliminary look at numbers that we immunized last year and numbers that we have so far this year, overall it looks very similar," says Unger. "We might be down a wee bit but I don't think considerably."

Yet Unger says, just because some communities saw a lower turnout this year than last year, that doesn't mean fewer people got the shot. She notes they may have chosen this year to rather get the shot from their local pharmacy or primary care provider.

"Overall, I think we've had a reasonable response so far," she says. "Lots of families coming out with their children."

Unger confirms, historically Southern Health has among the lowest percentage of residents getting immunized, compared to other regions in Manitoba. Last year, there was a coverage rate of about 15.5 per cent in this region, compared to the provincial average of 22.5 per cent. Yet, Southern Health was the region with the second lowest number of influenza cases per capita last year (Northern: 252.5 cases per 100,000, Prairie Mountain: 218.5, Winnipeg: 100.5, Southern: 100.0 and Interlake-Eastern: 89.1).

According to Unger, the vaccination rate among seniors within Southern Health is pretty good. She notes there are also a lot of families that come out. Yes, Unger says some people believe in "heard immunity." This is the belief that if enough people around me are immunized, it will protect me against influenza.

"Really, in order to have herd immunity, you have to have an extremely high percentage of people who are vaccinated against that disease," she points out. "So, in the general population we wouldn't see that type of protection anywhere in the province."

Unger says the most recent data from November 3rd, shows there have been 46 laboratory confirmed influenza cases in the province since September. Fewer than five of those are within Southern Health. Half of all hospital admissions this year due to influenza occurred in children younger than 10 years of age.

Though flu shot clinics have now wrapped, Unger says pharmacists will continue to have vaccine in stock. She adds primary health care providers may have the vaccine available as well.