Dr. Allen Heimann, Medical Officer of Health will hold a news conference on Tuesday, October 18, 2005 at 1:30 p.m. to discuss this year's flu season.

The news conference will take place in the main boardroom at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, 1005 Ouellette Avenue in Windsor.

Health Canada reports, "an estimated 500-1500 Canadians, mostly seniors, die every year from pneumonia related to flu and many others may die from other serious complications of flu."

Ontario is the only province in Canada that provides free flu shots to the public.

Each year the flu virus is responsible for lost work, school and vacation days. It also contributes to an increase patient backlog in doctor's offices and hospitals.

It is important for healthy individuals to get a flu shot in order to lessen the risk of passing a severe case of the flu to people like the elderly, who are at risk of life-threatening complications from the flu.

The Health Unit encourages all residents to help beat the flu by getting a flu shot.