Scan the health news today and you’ll see lots of reports about dangerous infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, mpox and avian flu. But there’s another one that’s been around for more than a century and continues to remain an ongoing threat, especially to older people: Influenza.

Some people still think influenza isn’t that serious or that it’s just a really bad cold. In fact, it is a common cause of pneumonia, and together flu and pneumonia are the eighth-leading cause of death in Canada, with people aged 65 or over accounting for 46% of influenza-related hospitalizations and 76% of influenza-related deaths.

Many of these hospitalizations and deaths could be prevented with a more concerted effort to increase vaccination rates for our most vulnerable, through better education about the importance of getting a seasonal flu shot formulated for their specific needs, and by making the vaccination process as convenient and least costly as possible.

A recent survey I led, through the National Institute on Ageing (NIA), underlines the........

© Edmonton Sun