A 74-year-old man was hospitalized with Covid. He survived without going into intensive care or getting pneumonia. Why? Because his Covid vaccinations were up-to-date.
This man even has existing lung problems, which causes him to cough all the time. So, he knows he can become very sick or die if he gets the flu, Covid or RSV, which is another respiratory illness.
The man makes sure he’s vaccinated for flu and Covid all the time. He just found out there is a vaccination for pneumonia, so he’s going to get vaccinated for pneumonia ASAP.
I also get my flu and Covid shots as soon as they’re available. I try to get them both at the same time so I don’t have to make two trips, and I get them in the same arm so both arms aren’t sore.
Most people do not report getting the flu, but the Office of the Public Health Officer says out of the 216 confirmed cases in this year’s flu season, 58 people were admitted into the hospital. And at 17 per cent, vaccinations are very low.
There have been 113 documented cases of Covid in the NWT so far this season. Vaccinations are even lower for Covid, with only 11 per cent of the total eligible population and 29 per cent of all people aged 65 and over.
Why get vaccinated?
Immunization helps keep people safe from preventable diseases. Get this: 99 people have died from flu and 420 have died from Covid in Alberta this flu/Covid season! That’s a good enough reason for me.
Some people say things like, “Joe Blow got the flu shot and he’s sick with the flu, so I’m not getting vaccinated.” Well, holy moly, medical experts don’t say receiving the flu shot means you will not get the flu. Some people can still get the flu, but they won’t become as sick.
Similarly, getting vaccinated for Covid does not mean that you will not get Covid. But people who are vaccinated usually do not get as sick. That means you are less likely to end up in intensive care unit or dying. Sounds good to me. Sign me up.
Some people think it’s better to get the flu or Covid and get immunity that way. But, it’s way safer to be protected through vaccination than by catching the disease and getting treated for it.
Some people think that you can get the flu from the flu shot or Covid from the Covid shot. That is not true. You will not get the flu or Covid from getting vaccinated.
Incidentally, be very careful of where you get your information. Lots of people post things and we sometimes believe that information or simply repost it without checking it out. Do not do that.
After all, anybody can create a website and put information on it, some of which may be true and some may not. So when I Google something, I always go to a reliable source like a government website, a national medical organization or something like that. You can also ask a nurse or a doctor for information or advice.
Vaccinations to get
Flu: I get a flu shot every year. It’s especially important for older people and children because they can get the sickest. If you feel really bad, go to the nursing station or to emergency to get checked out.
Covid-19: I get vaccinated for Covid as soon as I’m supposed to. I’m a senior now and seniors usually get sicker than younger people. But younger people can get very sick too. The media has plenty of stories of young people admitted to hospital and even dying from Covid, especially if they have pre-existing conditions like asthma.
RSV: This is a respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but infants and older adults can get really sick and need to be hospitalized.
Pneumonia: A lot of older people die from pneumonia, so it’s important to get this shot. It also protects against meningitis and septicemia (or sepsis), which is an infection of the blood.
Shingles: Get this shot if you are over 50, even if you’ve already had shingles, because you can get it more than once. To boot, the older we get, the more likely we are to get shingles, which is a painful rash that can lead to long-term nerve damage. I’ve had it and it’s very painful. You need to get a second shot a few months after the first one.
If you haven’t gotten these vaccinations yet, I recommend you see a nurse or doctor to find out if you should get them. If they say you should get vaccinated, then roll up your sleeve and get it done, especially if you are an older person.