Flu season has started and Public Health officials are strongly encouraging all residents 6 months of age and older to get the flu shot to better protect themselves and others from the current strain of Influenza A spreading across Canada.

Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald says this particular strain of the flu appears to be hitting seniors and children especially hard.

“We’re seeing rising rates and a difficult start to the year for children in Ontario in particular.” She says they wanted to raise awareness about what’s happening and encourage people to get their shots before the Christmas season.

At least three children have died from the flu in Ontario so far this season while hospitalizations and complications from the flu have risen dramatically.

About 20 per cent of the province’s population is currently vaccinated for the flu, and those numbers are even lower in children under 10.

She says kids can get quite sick from the flu, and in Ontario there have already been a number of deaths “and we want to prevent that from happening” here.

Vaccines can be booked online or through your local pharmacy.