Members of the media may directly contact:
Earl Brown(English only)
Emeritus Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine.
ebrown@uOttawa.ca
Dr. Brown's expertise relates to virology, infectious diseases, respiratory viruses, RNA viruses, microbiology and he is well-versed in the particulars of the H3N2 strain.
"It appears that immunity is low and infection severity is higher, which is leading to more severe infections in the high risk age groups, like the young and the elderly.
Many children have not been vaccinated and thus are less immune because they may not have had a previous A H3N2 infection; the last several flu seasons were H1N1 and the COVID-19 pandemic meant there was essentially no influenza seasons. The elderly are better covered but there is some vaccine fatigue and hesitancy.
Also, the H3N2 K variant is able to avoid previous immunity and the current vaccine, so there will be more spread of H3N2."
Raywat Deonandan (English only)
Epidemiologist and Associate Professor, Faculty of Health Sciences and member of the Centre for Health Law Policy & Ethics.
ray@deonandan.com
Professor Deonandan's research focuses on epidemiology, community medicine and population health.
"Flu vaccine uptake is too low and there is likely a slight mismatch between the current vaccine and this season's circulating strain; but that is not a reason to forego the vaccine, it will still lower your probability of serious illness and hospitalization."
Joshua Schaffzin (English only)
Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine
media@uOttawa.ca
Dr. Shaffzin's research and expertise focuses on pediatric infectious diseases and can discuss influenza epidemiology, with a focus on management and prevention.
"The best way to prevent complications of influenza is vaccination. Routine measures like good hand washing and staying away from known ill people (or asking people who are ill to stay away from your planned gatherings) will help."