The influenza vaccine will be provided, free of charge, to Albertans six months of age and older around the province. 

 The influenza immunization program has expanded for the 2018-2019 flu season. 

Some changes include Pharmacists being able to offer the flu shot to people aged five and up. Before these changes, pharmacists were only able to offer immunization to individuals nine years old and older. 

Other immunization providers, such as pharmacists and some physicians, will now be able to offer influenza immunization to residents and staff in supportive living facilities. 

For the 2018-2019 season, Alberta is offering one kind of flu vaccine. The vaccine is a four-strain injectable influenza vaccine produced by two manufacturers and it will be offered to Albertans six month old and older. 

Last year in Alberta the immunization rate was 29% compared to 27% in the previous year. There were 9.609 lab-confirmed cases of influenza in Alberta last year. 

There was a total of 92 deaths among hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed influenza. 

For this flu season, 1.6 million doses of vaccine were ordered at a cost of 12.6 million, enough vaccine to immunize 35% of the population. 

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