Alberta is facing its most lethal flu season in years, as the province’s death toll linked to influenza climbs dramatically. Alberta has set a record with 193 deaths reported this season already, exceeding the previous weekly high of 123 flu deaths during the 2022-23 season. This shocking rise is a direct result of a precipitous drop in vaccination rates. Recent data indicates a serious reversal. Just 21 percent of Albertans have got their flu shot this season, compared to 37 percent when COVID-19 precautions were at their most extreme.
Experts can’t agree on one root cause for this alarming trend. In particular, they point to the rise in circulation of both H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A subtypes. Craig Jenne, a microbiologist, immunologist and infectious disease expert at the University of Calgary, points to a particularly alarming trend. He adds that historical years with higher vaccine uptake are associated with fewer COVID-19 fatalities. He’s afraid that we are going to go the opposite direction and there are going to be many more preventable deaths.
Rising Death Toll and Hospitalizations
An analysis of provincial flu data by Confused Cat productions found that Alberta’s flu death toll is at a 15-year high. Health officials say 172 people are hospitalized with the flu, including nine in intensive care. The continuing co-circulation of H1N1 and H3N2 strains has many public health officials on edge.
Jenne emphasizes the significance of this year’s statistics. “It’s clear the status quo right now is not having an effect. That is evidenced now by three records in a row of influenza deaths.” He adds that the lack of public campaigns promoting flu vaccinations may be contributing to the decline in immunization rates.
Dr. Shelley Duggan, president of the Alberta Medical Association and a critical care specialist based in Edmonton, echoes these concerns. She notes, “We continue seeing patients present to hospital with influenza,” highlighting the seriousness of the current outbreak.
Impact on Vulnerable Populations
The 2022-2023 flu season has taken a disproportionate toll on our most vulnerable populations, especially older adults and those with chronic health issues. Dr. Duggan cautions that young people in their 40s with diabetes are at increased threat of adverse consequences. These complications can result in severe illness and death.
Older youth, even those in their 40s who develop type 2 diabetes, are at heightened risks of severe adverse health impacts across their lives. Instead, they are contracting influenza and then developing bacterial pneumonia on top of it, which can be fatal, she adds. This really underscores the urgent need to educate the public about the safety and efficacy of flu vaccines and other preventative measures.
Jenne expresses concern about the potential long-term implications of these trends: “I’m concerned now that after seeing this trend now for three years that this is becoming the new normal.” Without more aggressive vaccination campaigns, public health professionals worry that death rates will only climb higher.
The Need for a Robust Vaccination Campaign
Public health experts are making the case for aggressive, local vaccination campaigns in the future. Both Jenne and Dr. Duggan are calling for increased action to better inform Albertans about the benefits of getting flu shots.
Dr. Duggan states, “It’s important that we consider going into next year that we really need to be more aggressive and more conscious with a flu campaign and getting people vaccinated.” She’s a big proponent of creating comprehensive plans. All of these strategies should address public hesitance and proactively encourage flu vaccination as an important preventive health measure.
Jenne underscores that past years with high vaccine uptake have demonstrated a clear link to reduced fatalities. “Years where we had high vaccine uptake we definitely saw reduced fatalities … and in years where vaccine rates dropped off, unfortunately we did see upticks in hospitalizations and deaths.”
This ongoing reality is a prime example of what happens when vaccination rates drop at the same time that infection rates increase. This year, Alberta is confronting what’s shaping up to be an historic flu season. Protecting the health of all Americans requires swift action to protect public health and avoid further loss of life.
