Flu shots on the decline in Nova Scotia

AMHERST - Throughout the province, it's not uncommon to see influenza immunization clinics being advertised and hosted this time of year - especially since a new report indicates a rise in flu shots among Canadians.

"It's going up everywhere I believe," said Jackie Beal, a communicable disease nurse with Public Health.

Beal says there are certain categories of people that should be immunized against the flu, such as anybody over 65 years of age, residents of long-term and chronic care facilities, adults and residents with cardiac, pulmonary or metabolic diseases, anyone with diseases that are on medication that depresses the immune system, those that are on long-term ASA (aspirin) and anyone within the households of those people.

Health-care workers, first responders and health-care students should also be immunized, as should all infants between six and 23-months-old.

"This year, all pregnant women have been added to the list," added Beal. "There's new evidence that shows that pregnant women are at an increased risk of severe influenza symptoms."

The report, published in Statistics Canada's Health Report, saw a 34 per cent rise in the national rate in 2005 from 15 per cent in 1996-97.

In Nova Scotia, however, numbers of immunizations are down slightly in 2006-07 from 2005-06, the first time some categories decreased in four years, according to the Influenza Surveillance and Immunization Report 2006-2007 released in May.

The percentage of children aged six to 23 months to be immunized in the province has dropped to 35.5 per cent in 2006-07 from 39.2 per cent in 2005-06. Between District Health Authorities in Cumberland, Colchester East Hants and Pictou County, the majority of those infants immunized were in Colchester East Hants with 41.3 per cent, followed by Pictou County at 22.3 and Cumberland at 13.6.

Those immunized between two and 64 years of age decreased by almost five per cent from 24.1 in 2005-06 to 19.3 in 2006-07. Colchester East Hants tied for the highest percentage in the province at 21.2 per cent, with Cumberland coming in with 14.5 and Pictou County with 14.3.

Aged 65 and over also dropped from the previous year, coming in at 66.7 per cent in 2006-07 compared to 71.3 in 2005-06. Leading the way in 2006-07 was Pictou County with 66.4 per cent of the population of 65 and over being immunized, while Colchester East Hants came in at 64.8 and Cumberland at 59.7.

Residents in long-term care facilities remained at almost 95 per cent being immunized, with 94.2 receiving flu shots in 2006-07 compared to 94.6 in 2005-06. Cumberland Health Authority reported 95.5 per cent of residents received immunizations, while 91.8 and 87.9 received immunizations in Pictou County and Colchester East Hants respectively.

The full report can be found on the provincial government's Health Promotion and Protection website, www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/



rtetanish@amherstdaily.com