The short answer is that is the only method of primary prevention for influenza.
This is a brand new strain of influenza. It is something that people under the age of 65 and their immune systems have not seen; they have not seen anything that closely enough resembles it to have immunity against it. It is going to hit broadly; it is going to hit hard. The only way we have of trying to prevent this is to provide people with immunization.
Fortunately, there is immunization. We've been assured that the supplies will be there and that they will be adequate for every Canadian to receive immunization. So there's no argument about shortages of the vaccine itself; just get out and get one.
There is confusion around some of the timing. There is confusion about the relationship between the pandemic flu immunization and the seasonal flu immunization. That's exactly what my colleagues and I were talking about when we were saying there needs to be clarity of messaging; there needs to be a very clear understanding of the population groups who should get the vaccine; and that if there is prioritization for the purposes of expediency of delivery, it needs to be clearly articulated.
Health professionals should get vaccinated. They are going to be the ones who are most highly exposed to the virus and they have the highest duty to society to protect themselves, both so they can remain at work and so they don't become a reservoir of disease.