By Aaron Mahoney (@Mahones93 on Twitter)

AHS beginning flu shot program on Monday

Oct 22, 2017 | 11:05 AM

LETHBRIDGE – It’s that time of year again, flu season.

Alberta Health Services will be offering flu shots, free of charge, to residents six months of age and older starting tomorrow.

The vaccine will be available at hundreds of clinics throughout the province.

In Lethbridge, the first flu shot session will be this Tuesday at Exhibition Park beginning at 1pm.

South Zone Medical Officer of Health Dr. Lena Derie-Gillespie says they’ve seen cases of flu outbreaks already.

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“People may be healthy now, but without immunization everyone is at risk,” Derie-Gillespie said. “Prevention is the only protection.”

Immunization, according to experts, is the most effective means of protecting against the different strains of the flu virus circulating each season. Those strains change from season to season, so anyone relying on having been immunized in years past won’t be protected.

“Last season, influenza immunization cut Albertans’ risk for influenza by just over 40 per cent. That’s great, but last year’s immunization won’t protect you this season. People need to get this season’s immunization to be properly protected for this season,” Derie-Gillespie stated.

More than 1,600 people in Alberta were hospitalized due to influenza, and 64 Albertans died over a six-month period last year.

Another step being taken by AHS is the Flu-Lapalooza events being put on. The events are meant to support the uptake of immunization as early in the season as possible.

The Flu-Lapalooza event in Lethbridge will take place from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 1 at Exhibition Park in the Main Pavilion.