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Manitoba Health

Get the Shot, not the Flu
Are you at risk? This site offers information about Manitoba’s free flu and pneumococcal immunization programs for those most at risk.

View the Get the Shot, Not the Flu brochure
View the Get the Shot, Not the Flu poster
View the Seniors and the Flu Shot brochure
View the Cover Your Cough brochure
View the Hand Hygiene brochure
View the Influenza (The Flu) fact sheet
View the Pneumoccocal fact sheet



Flu

You should get a free flu shot every year if you are:

  • age 65 or older
  • a child age six to 23 months
  • an adult or child with heart or lung disease, or other chronic illness
  • a health care worker
  • a first responder (police officer, fire fighter, paramedic)
  • a household contact of someone under age two, or 65 years of age and older
  • pregnant (regardless of trimester or due date)

Flu facts:

  • The flu is extremely contagious. It can cause serious illness and death.
  • You cannot get the flu from the flu shot – there is no live virus in the vaccine.

Seniors and Flu Shots - Key Facts:

  • The flu shot cannot make you sick (unlike flu vaccines in the past)
  • The flu shot reduces your chance of getting the flu
  • The flu shot protects people with chronic conditions who are more vulnerable to the flu
  • The flu shot protects caregivers and their loved ones

An estimate 4,000 to 8,000 Canadians - mostly seniors - die each year from complications related to the flu.

Click here for more information on Seniors and Flu Shots.

Free flu and pneumococcal shots are available from:

  • a doctor
  • a local public health nurse, or
  • a flu shot clinic in your area

Remember to bring your Manitoba Health card.



Pneumococcal

You should get a free pneumococcal shot if you are:

  • age 65 or older;
  • an adult or child with heart or lung disease, or other chronic illness;

Pneumococcal facts:

  • Pneumococcal bacteria can cause serious illness, including
    • pneumonia,
    • blood poisoning (bacteremia) and
    • meningitis.
  • Most people need only one pneumonia shot in their lifetime.



If you have any questions about flu or pneumonia immunization:
Contact your public health nurse, doctor, pharmacist or
call Health Links-Info Santé at: 788-8200 or toll-free at 1-888-315-9257