Seasonal flu and COVID-19 clinics kick off this week in the southeast. 

Dr. Mahmoud Khodaveisi is Medical Officer of Health for Southern Health-Sante Sud. He says the first clinics in the region take place on Wednesday. They will be held in Ste. Anne and Sanford. The last clinics of the season are on November 18 in Ste. Agathe and Morris. 

In Steinbach, there are four clinics planned. They will all be held at the Pat Porter Active Living Centre. The clinics are on October 27 and 29, and November 5 and 12. Each clinic runs from 3 pm to 7 pm. 

Dr. Khodaveisi is especially encouraging families with children to get vaccinated at a clinic. He notes health care providers and pharmacies are also offering flu shots, but says pharmacies are not immunizing children. 

Dr. Khodaveisi says anyone who is six months of age and older is eligible and encouraged to receive the annual flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine. He notes individuals 65 years and older might also be eligible to receive the pneumococcal vaccine. For more information, individuals should speak with their health-care provider.

Meanwhile, he says every year the World Health Organization monitors the global spread of influenza and identifies which strain will most likely be circulating. The vaccine is then created to work against that strain. Dr. Khodaveisi notes that in the Southern Hemisphere this year, they experienced mainly the H1N1 influenza.

“This year, the prediction is we will have H1N1,” he confirms. 

Dr. Khodaveisi says H1N1 typically impacts younger children and those in the highest priority groups that are at higher risk for severe disease.  

“Sixty-five years of age and older, children, people with chronic health conditions, and pregnant women,” he clarifies. 

The other strain is H3N2. Dr. Khodaveisi says historically, the vaccine is a better match when the dominant strain is H1N1, compared to H3N2.

According to Dr. Khodaveisi, this year’s flu season in the Southern Hemisphere was very similar to 2024. He notes it was not an unusual flu season. 

The percentage of Manitobans who get the flu shot continues to drop. Dr. Khodaveisi says for both the flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine, numbers have been declining the last five years. In 2024, about 23 per cent of Manitobans got the flu shot. However, he points out that about 60 per cent of those aged 65 and older got the flu vaccine last year. Immunization numbers in Southern Health run lower than the provincial average. 

Dr. Khodaveisi reminds the public that the vaccine is safe. He points out that just because you get the flu shot, that does not mean you will not get sick. However, it is intended to prevent hospitalization, emergency visits, or other complications. Dr. Khodaveisi also encourages getting the flu shot as soon as possible, noting it usually takes about two weeks for immunity to fully develop. 

“So, it’s better to get the vaccine before the peak in the winter months,” he adds. “It’s very safe and effective and free of charge.”

Southern Health is holding flu shot clinics in the following locations in the southeast:

• Ste. Anne – October 15 and 16
• Lorette – October 21
• Dominion City – October 22
• Vita – October 22
• Niverville – October 27
• Steinbach – October 27 and 29, November 5 and 12 
• Richer – October 29
• Sprague – October 30
• St. Pierre – October 30
• St. Adolphe – November 3
• Grunthal – November 4
• Ile des Chenes – November 5
• Landmark – November 10
• Ste. Agathe – November 18

Visit the Southern Health website for more information on these clinics and others that are scheduled for the region.