Alberta flu season is looming. Recent immunization numbers don't bode well, doctor says

Advertisement 1 This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Breadcrumb Trail Links HomeHealthLocal News Alberta flu season is looming. Recent immunization numbers don't bode well, doctor says The number of doses was down, even though Alberta's population continues to rise. Only one in five Albertans got immunized during the previous flu season Author of the article: By Steven Sandor Published Sep 16, 2026 Last updated 50 minutes ago 5 minute read Join the conversation Shui Chi Wong gets a seasonal flu shot from Market Drugs Medical pharmacist Roy Li in Edmonton on Nov. 8, 2021. Postmedia, file Article content The 2025-26 influenza season was a doozy. Article content The recorded number of seasonal flu cases in Alberta were much higher than they’d been over the previous four years. Thousands of H3N2 influenza cases were confirmed weekly, with the heaviest surge from November 2025 to January 2026. Article content Article content That must have led to long lineups at pharmacies across Alberta, right? The massive flu outbreak must have sent us all running to get immunized, correct? Article content Article content No. Article content Headline News Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns. Sign Up By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Article content As Alberta endured its worst flu season in years, the number of immunizations was low. Province-wide, 1.035 million doses were administered in 2025-26. That was the lowest number of doses recorded on the Alberta Health dashboard, with numbers going back to 2010. Article content The number of doses was down, even though Alberta’s population continues to rise. Only one in five Albertans got immunized during the previous flu season. Article content Article content In Edmonton, coverage was just above 21 per cent. So, if there’s a stereotype that rural immunization numbers bring down the average, the stats don’t bear that out. Both Edmonton and Calgary were just barely above the provincial norm. Article content Across Alberta, 282 deaths were linked to the flu in the 2025-26 season. Of those, 92 were in the Edmonton zone. Article content Dr. Louis Francescutti, a professor with the University of Alberta’s School of Public Health, said that our immunization rate should be north of 80 per cent. He said that high immunization rates are the most important indicator of…