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Saskatchewan has opened bookings for flu and COVID-19 vaccines.
The flu has been circulating this past month, with some parts of the country experiencing an early start to flu season. Health Canada reported 815 confirmed influenza cases for the week ending Sept. 26, compared to 291 in the week ending Sept. 5.
“We are beginning to have increased activity in the community, so more people getting sick, also getting some outbreaks earlier on,” said Dr. Vivian Onaemo, a medical health officer based in Saskatoon, who leads the city’s public immunizations.
“It’s too early to know exactly how bad it’s going to be, but from what we hear, we’re beginning to get increasing numbers. Our surveillance will tell us more as the season progresses.”
Onaemo is encouraging people to get vaccinated for flu and COVID as early as possible. Fall immunization bookings are open as of Tuesday, with clinics offering vaccinations starting the week of Oct. 13. All residents six months and older are eligible for free vaccination through pharmacies, family physicians and mass flu clinics. Further information and appointment booking is available online at 4flu.ca.
Flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be available for free for all Saskatchewan residents. (CBC Manitoba)
Synchrotron research into COVID-19 treatment
Todd Holyoak, a biology professor based at the University of Waterloo, is using the Canadian Light Source in Saskatoon to study a protein vital to the replication of the virus that causes COVID-19.
“This one just really has a strange amino acid composition that we were trying to understand, whether it has any linkage to how coronavirus became a pandemic situation,” Holyoak said, adding that researchers also want to understand why it affects some people severely and potentially even lethally, and others mildly.
He said the research may pave a path for an anti-viral treatment for COVID to limit the severity.
People may have the impression that COVID-19 is over, but coronaviruses continue to emerge over time, Holyoak said.
“I think it’s a little bit naive to think that we’re never going to see another outbreak of a coronavirus infection within the world’s population,” he said.
“Continuing our research into how coronaviruses mediate infection and therapeutic strategies to prevent infection and treat infection when they arise, I think, is a good preparedness strategy.”
For now, Onaemo stresses the importance of vaccination for both flu and COVID.
She encouraged residents to also take other precautions to avoid and minimize sickness, including regularly washing hands, using hand sanitizer and staying home while sick.