Nunavut at halfway point in annual flu vaccination campaign

Federal health minister and Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq receives her annual flu shot Nov. 15 in Baker Lake. (HANDOUT PHOTO)

Nunavut MP and federal health minister Leona Aglukkaq rolled up her sleeve Nov. 15 at Baker Lake’s health clinic for her annual flu shot.

The shot’s vaccine can protect her from falling ill with the fever, fatigue, muscle pain, coughing and headaches associated with influenza.

Nunavut is midway in its annual vaccination campaign against influenza, which started Nov. 1 and wraps up Nov. 30.

The free vaccine is available at health centres throughout Nunavut, and at the public health unit in Iqaluit’s Qikiqtani General Hospital.

As in Nunavik, Nunavut is administering the FluMist vaccine, to include children from two to 17 years of age.

Children and youth in this age group receive the vaccine in a nasal spray, rather than through an injection.

Flu, whose symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle pain, coughing and headaches, can cause serious complications among babies under the age of six months, who cannot be vaccinated.

The flu vaccine, which reaches its maximum effectiveness roughly two weeks after you get it, protects you for six to 12 months from falling sick with certain strains of the flu.

In Iqaluit, you can get your flu vaccine at Public Health unit, located on the second floor of the QGH from Monday to Friday.

The clinics are open in the mornings from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and in the afternoons from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Evening and weekend clinics are available Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

You do not need an appointment to get your free flu vaccine.