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Patients may be hearing about an H3N2 mismatch and questioning whether their flu shot still works, or if they should get one at all this year. This is a crucial moment for clear, confident reassurance, as shared by Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Davinder Singh: 

The reality: The information from reactivity in the lab doesn’t necessarily mean that is what will happen clinically. Very early results from the UK show promising effectiveness from this year’s flu vaccine.

The vaccine is effective: Help your patients understand a mismatch doesn’t mean zero protection against that strain. We’ll need to wait till the end of the season to see how well the vaccine performed. On average, the vaccine cuts risk in half based on decades of research.

Protection against multiple strains: The vaccine provides protection against an H1N1 strain, an H3N2 strain, and a B strain. All three can cause severe disease. So far, about half of the influenza samples tested in Canada have been H1N1 and the other half have been H3N2. Even if there ends up being reduced protection against the circulating H3N2 strain, the vaccine could still provide good protection against the H1N1 circulating strain, and potentially a circulating B strain, which often starts spreading later in the winter.

Responding to common patient concerns

“Is the vaccine worth it this year?” Yes, the vaccine provides an immune boost to all three influenza strains expected to circulate this year, including H1N1, H3N2, and B.

“Isn’t the flu shot weak?” On average the flu shot decreases the risk of getting seriously sick from the flu by half. It isn’t perfect, but it is the easiest and most effective way to decrease your risk.

“I’m tired of vaccines.” Acknowledge fatigue while emphasizing that one appointment now can prevent a far more disruptive illness. You likely won’t regret taking 30 minutes out of your day to get immunized. You might regret not getting immunized if you end up in the hospital.

“I’ve seen concerning things online.” Ask more about what specific concerns they have and try to respond with the evidence to address the concern. If there is a concern for which you don’t know the answer, consider offering a follow-up appointment so you can search the literature to address it. 

Bottom line: The vaccine offers meaningful protection against severe outcomes. Decades of evaluation have shown that on average the flu vaccine prevents about half of the potential severe outcomes, like pneumonia, hospitalization, ICU admission, and death for those who are immunized. A clear recommendation from a trusted physician is vital to supporting informed decisions among your patients. 

📈 Stay in the know: You can follow the weekly Respiratory Surveillance Report for current data and surveillance information on COVID-19 and Influenza in Manitoba. You can also see an overview of key trends in influenza activity in Canada with the Canadian Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report.