Canadian experts call for vaccination against both A/H1N1 and regular flu

OTTAWA, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Canadian experts are urging people to get vaccinated against both A/H1N1 flu and regular flu, warning that the seasonal flu may come back when the pandemic wanes later this winter.

Although A/H1N1 flu is said to be the dominant flu strain this year, that does not necessarily mean this virus is pushing the seasonal flu viruses aside, Dr. Gerald Evans, chief of the infectious disease division at Kingston General Hospital, told the Canwest News Service.

"The best strategy right now is to make sure people are immunized both against the pandemic H1N1, as well as the seasonal flu influenza strains that we have been seeing on an annual basis," he said.

Evans and his colleagues say, however, there is no way to predict what will happen this flu season.

Possible scenarios include the H1N1 virus remaining the dominant flu strain, or, it could wane and the seasonal flu viruses could take over. It is also possible the viruses could all be circulating at the same time.

Dr. Brian Ward, chief of the infectious diseases division at McGill University Health Center in Montreal, also urged people to get both shots.

"We're all hoping that the H1N1 is going to go away certainly by Christmas, which leaves a good two, three months when another flu virus could quite happily come back in," he said.

A normal flu season typically runs from December to April.