Getting a Flu Shot Is a Small Yet Deeply Profound Act of Canadian Community Care

I also know that every one of us can have the same kind of impact, protecting ourselves, our families and our neighbours while helping our health system focus on those who most need help.

January 23, 2026 by Healthy Debate Leave a Comment

By Christine Elliott

As a former Ontario Health Minister, I am concerned about Canadians’ health – and the health of our health-care system – as flu season is here. I entered a career in politics because I care deeply about making our fellow Canadians’ lives better. While Health Minister, I was driven by the knowledge that our decisions could have a profound impact on people at their most vulnerable. It was important to me to ensure care was there for everyone when it was needed most.

I also know that every one of us can have the same kind of impact, protecting ourselves, our families and our neighbours while helping our health system focus on those who most need help. Every time you get your flu vaccination, that’s exactly what you’re doing.

I’m worried about the recent decline in vaccination rates across the country. Forgoing the flu vaccination isn’t just a risk for individuals; it’s also putting communities at risk.

We often downplay the flu, but it’s crucial to remember that it’s not just a bad cold. Influenza can have devastating, even fatal consequences, especially for some of the most vulnerable among us – our children, grandparents, people who are immunocompromised or who have chronic illnesses. Thousands of Canadians get the flu each year and for vulnerable individuals, that can mean a stay in hospital – or worse. We don’t like to think about it, but 80 children have died from the flu in Canada from 2004-2022.

Indeed, in the most recent flu seasons, we saw an increase in flu-related complications, resulting in greater pressure on emergency departments and hospital beds. This has an impact beyond those who are suffering from the flu and its complications.

Every bed occupied by a patient with flu is unavailable for someone suffering a heart attack, a stroke or needing an urgent surgical procedure. It can mean longer waits in the emergency department for a child with a broken arm or delays in seeing a doctor for a cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Canadians rightly take pride in our public health-care system, and for good reason. But we must also acknowledge that our system is under incredible stress. Hospitals are stretched. I am concerned that a severe flu season could make this situation much worse.

The good news is that it’s in every Canadian’s power to help, through a simple, selfless act: getting the flu vaccination.

The great majority of Canadians support vaccination, but most don’t get vaccinated. You might feel it’s inconvenient, or it’s not important. But it is important, especially for those around you who are at high risk of complications.

Only 42 per cent of Canadians received the flu vaccination during the flu season of 2023-2024. In addition, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommends the flu vaccination for all children six months of age or older, yet flu vaccine uptake remains low. During the 2021-2022 flu season, only 33 per cent of children aged from six months to 17 years received the flu vaccine.

It’s important to know that governments in every province and territory have made it easier to receive your flu vaccination – at your local pharmacy, your family doctor or nurse practitioner or at a public health clinic.

It’s also good to know that flu vaccines can be co-administered with other vaccinations, such as those for COVID-19, pneumococcal pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or shingles.

Canadians know the flu is here. We know that anyone, even those who seem healthy, can get it. We know that for some it can be very serious, further stretching our precious health-care resources. And we know that getting a seasonal flu vaccination is one of the best ways to protect ourselves and the wider community from illness.

Getting a seasonal flu vaccination is a simple and deeply profound act of Canadian community care and national strength. Let’s come together this flu season to help protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities and at the same time, keep our health-care system healthy so that care is accessible for those who need it most.

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Previously Published on healthydebate.ca with Creative Commons License

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