A 74-year-old man was hospitalized with Covid. He survived without going into intensive care or getting pneumonia. Why? Because his Covid vaccinations were up-to-date.

This man even has existing lung problems, which causes him to cough all the time. So, he knows he can become very sick or die if he gets the flu, Covid or RSV, which is another respiratory illness.

The man makes sure heSA国际影视传媒檚 vaccinated for flu and Covid all the time. He just found out there is a vaccination for pneumonia, so heSA国际影视传媒檚 going to get vaccinated for pneumonia ASAP.

I also get my flu and Covid shots as soon as theySA国际影视传媒檙e available. I try to get them both at the same time so I donSA国际影视传媒檛 have to make two trips, and I get them in the same arm so both arms arenSA国际影视传媒檛 sore.

Most people do not report getting the flu, but the Office of the Public Health Officer says out of the 216 confirmed cases in this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 flu season, 58 people were admitted into the hospital. And at 17 per cent, vaccinations are very low.

There have been 113 documented cases of Covid in the NWT so far this season. Vaccinations are even lower for Covid, with only 11 per cent of the total eligible population and 29 per cent of all people aged 65 and over.

Why get vaccinated?

Immunization helps keep people safe from preventable diseases. Get this: 99 people have died from flu and 420 have died from Covid in Alberta this flu/Covid season! ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 a good enough reason for me.

Some people say things like, SA国际影视传媒淛oe Blow got the flu shot and heSA国际影视传媒檚 sick with the flu, so ISA国际影视传媒檓 not getting vaccinated.SA国际影视传媒� Well, holy moly, medical experts donSA国际影视传媒檛 say receiving the flu shot means you will not get the flu. Some people can still get the flu, but they wonSA国际影视传媒檛 become as sick.

Similarly, getting vaccinated for Covid does not mean that you will not get Covid. But people who are vaccinated usually do not get as sick. That means you are less likely to end up in intensive care unit or dying. Sounds good to me. Sign me up.

Some people think itSA国际影视传媒檚 better to get the flu or Covid and get immunity that way. But, itSA国际影视传媒檚 way safer to be protected through vaccination than by catching the disease and getting treated for it.

Some people think that you can get the flu from the flu shot or Covid from the Covid shot. That is not true. You will not get the flu or Covid from getting vaccinated.

Incidentally, be very careful of where you get your information. Lots of people post things and we sometimes believe that information or simply repost it without checking it out. Do not do that.

After all, anybody can create a website and put information on it, some of which may be true and some may not. So when I Google something, I always go to a reliable source like a government website, a national medical organization or something like that. You can also ask a nurse or a doctor for information or advice.

Vaccinations to get

Flu: I get a flu shot every year. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 especially important for older people and children because they can get the sickest. If you feel really bad, go to the nursing station or to emergency to get checked out.

Covid-19: I get vaccinated for Covid as soon as ISA国际影视传媒檓 supposed to. ISA国际影视传媒檓 a senior now and seniors usually get sicker than younger people. But younger people can get very sick too. The media has plenty of stories of young people admitted to hospital and even dying from Covid, especially if they have pre-existing conditions like asthma.

RSV: This is a respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but infants and older adults can get really sick and need to be hospitalized.

Pneumonia: A lot of older people die from pneumonia, so itSA国际影视传媒檚 important to get this shot. It also protects against meningitis and septicemia (or sepsis), which is an infection of the blood.

Shingles: Get this shot if you are over 50, even if youSA国际影视传媒檝e already had shingles, because you can get it more than once. To boot, the older we get, the more likely we are to get shingles, which is a painful rash that can lead to long-term nerve damage. ISA国际影视传媒檝e had it and itSA国际影视传媒檚 very painful. You need to get a second shot a few months after the first one.

If you havenSA国际影视传媒檛 gotten these vaccinations yet, I recommend you see a nurse or doctor to find out if you should get them. If they say you should get vaccinated, then roll up your sleeve and get it done, especially if you are an older person.