It's not your imagination: Kids were hit hard by flu in N.L. this fall, says virologist

Memorial University virologist Rod Russell says he's not too surprised that flu cases have soared in Newfoundland and Labradorthis year especially among kids.

For the past few years, people have been wearing masks and distancing themselves from others to prevent the spread of COVID-19. In so doing, he says, the province was able to keep other viruses, like the flu, at bay.

Now that most pandemic measures have been relaxed or eliminated entirely, he says many people, especially young children, are being exposed to viruses for the first time that they didn't have the chance to acclimate their bodies to during the pandemic.

"So you had this gap, I call this gap in education of the immune system, where you normally would've been building up antibodies building up immunity against all the viruses and bugs that are out there," said Russell. "But that didn't happen."

This winter, the province has been grappling with a rise in influenza cases, as well as an increase in respiratory illness among children. There havebeen shortages of children's cold and flu medication, the Janeway emergency room in St. John's has been overwhelmed, and the province's doctors continue to urge residents to get vaccinated against the flu.

According to the province's latest influenza report, there were 214 confirmed cases of influenza between Dec. 4-10. As of Dec. 10, 42 children under 16 years old have been hospitalized for the flu.

People under 20 make up almost half the positive influenza cases identified this year thus far.

"This is on a scale that we have not seen before," said Dr. Natalie Bridger, a pediatric and infectious diseases specialist at Eastern Health and an associate professor of pediatrics at Memorial University.

"I've never seen anything like this before when it comes to respiratory illness in children."

Is there an end in sight?

Bridger says the Janewayhospital's emergency room is still seeing more than 100 patients a day there are fewer cases than previously, she says, but it's still quite busy.

She says children are coming into the emergency room with a variety of respiratory viruses, as well as symptoms varying in severity.

She says across Canada, the age group that has seen the highest hospitalizations are those aged two to four.

The province's latest influenza report shows numbers are still highbut the outbreak isshowing signs of slowing.

"I think what'll happen isonce we get these initial rounds of infections done, then we should all have our immunity boosted and we should be good after that," said Russell.

• Influenza continues rising to record levels in N.L., but reports show signs of slowing
• With flu cases soaring in N.L., health professionals urge public to get vaccinated immediately

Russell said it's too early to say whether the bad flu season will persistor whether the province is just seeing a peak of cases earlier than it normally would.

Althoughmany people may be experiencing vaccine fatigue, Russell said, the vaccine helps boost one's immunity against the flu.Many kids who have been hospitalized have not had their flu vaccine, Bridger said,and pediatric flu vaccine rates are quite low this year.

Her advice is to wear a mask in crowded places, keep sick children at home and get vaccinated against the flu.

"It's terrifying. I mean, these poor parents are coming in and they may have to wait for a long time for their very sick kids to be seen," she said.

"It's a nightmare."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador