Flu shots are now available in Nova Scotia.

It may be a rough season in the province for the flu, with COVID and RSV also circulating.

Digby pharmacist Bronwen McGuire says data from Australia’s flu season showed a rise in hospitalizations for children.

“It’s touted to be one of the largest flu seasons on record. So, we’re really encouraging everyone to get their flu shot this year, as well as their COVID shot, because they’re both coming around the same time,” says McGuire.

These are also combined with RSV to create ‘triple threat fall,’ according to pharmacists.

She says there’s a lot of vaccine fatigue among the population.

McGuire said over half of Canadians are experiencing this, and even more in younger demographics.

“There were a lot of hospitalizations for children in Australia, and they attributed that to low vaccination rates. It makes a difference in protection.”

In 2022, flu vaccine rates were 43 percent, pharmacists want to see that at 80 percent or higher this year.