VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The BC Centre for Disease Control is preparing for what could be a bad flu strain in circulation this season. This comes as the US predicts the earliest arrival of the flu season in nearly a decade.
H3N2 has been around before, and it’s not particularly pleasant, says Dr. Bonnie Henry with the centre.
“It wasn’t the predominate one that we’ve seen in the last couple of years where H1N1 was more common… But it is starting to make a comeback. So, that it a little worrisome because… H3N2 could cause severe illness particularly in elderly people.”
But she says the flu vaccine is a good match for the strain this year and that could help to keep the number of cases down.
She adds certain people may particularly want to consider the vaccine. “If you are a person who is at risk of having a more severe illness or more complications to influenza.”