Everyone six months of age and older should get the flu shot. That is the message South Eastman Health wants to deliver as flu shot clinics continue Tuesday in Woodridge, Lorette, La Broquerie, Ste.Agathe and Mitchell.

Public Health Manager Bev Unger says "influenza is definitely more dangerous than the common cold for children." Dr. Jan Roberts says "we're not islands when it comes to deciding to have a flu shot. On average every person who gets the flu infects another one or two people and often before they even realize that they're sick." That's why Dr. Roberts says parents, grandparents and caregivers should especially consider getting the shot.

Unger says signs and symptoms of influenza are cough, sore throat, runny or stuffed nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. But she says it can often be difficult to identify whether or not a child has the flu because little ones "often can't tell us how they're feeling or what they're feeling." She notes when young children are exposed to influenza complications can arise including ear or sinus infection, lung infections or even pneumonia. Dr. Roberts adds flu can make cronic health problems worse like asthma, heart disease and diabetes.

Unger also encourages pregnant women to get the flu shot. She notes the National Advisory Committee on Immunization says it is safe for pregnant women to be immunized. "And in fact pregnant women being immunized during pregnancy will protect themselves but it will also provide some protection to the baby once the baby is born."

Dr. Myron Thiessen says majority of people can simply ride out the flu. "They should stay home, get rest, drink lots of liquids. For the fever and aches taking something like acetaminophen or ibuprofen will relieve a lot of the symptoms and just lay low for awhile and it will pass over," says Dr. Thiessen.

But Dr. Thiessen says in some cases you should seek emergency medical help. "So if a person has symptoms such as undue shortness of breath, or fevers that are uncontrollable. So if you take acetaminophen or ibuprofen and the fever doesn't seem to settle. If it's in children, if they appear just not to be thriving well, so they stop eating or appear to become dehydrated, those are types of things for which people should seek medical help."

Dr. Thiessen encourages everyone to prepare a home flu kit which includes a thermometer, facial tissues, soap and water, ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

Unger says 28 flu shot clinics have been held in eleven communities so far this fall. Nearly 3,000 people have already been immunized at community based clinics. Unger says that's higher than average and they're "really pleased."