Influenza and pneumonia: Nothing to sneeze at

The “cold” season is fast approaching in Canada in every sense of the word. The weather is getting colder outside, prompting more people to huddle inside, making Canadians more susceptible to the bacteria, fungi and viruses in the air that can lead to influenza and pneumonia—the eighth leading cause of death in Canada in 2022, claiming 5,985 lives.

While the incidence of influenza and pneumonia increases in the winter, these illnesses claim lives year-round and are especially dangerous for those with a compromised immune system, diabetes or a chronic heart, lung or liver disease.

Although influenza and pneumonia are the eighth leading cause of death in Canada, they are also a contributing factor in many more deaths, especially among those who are bedridden, in the end stages of cancer, or afflicted with dementia or Alzheimer’s.

Over half the Canadians who died of influenza or pneumonia in 2022 were aged 85 or older

Approximately 9 in 10 Canadians (89.8%) who died of influenza and pneumonia in 2022 were aged 65 and older, with over half (53.1%) of the deaths occurring among those aged 85 and older.

While relatively few youths aged 14 or younger died of influenza or pneumonia in 2022, it was the fifth leading cause of death for this age group, claiming 22 lives.

Deaths due to influenza and pneumonia on the rise following a pause during the pandemic

The number of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia varies by year and season.

Deaths due to influenza and pneumonia increased by 45.4% from 2021 (4,115 deaths) to 2022 (5,985). Despite this increase, the number of deaths due to influenza and pneumonia in 2022 was 13.8% lower than in 2019.

Deaths due to influenza and pneumonia hit an all-time low in 2021. This decline was partly because of the introduction of public health measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 and the fact that deaths caused by COVID-19-induced pneumonia were considered COVID-19 deaths.

Vaccines are the best way to prevent influenza and pneumonia

Pneumococcal, influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are available and can help lower your chances of contracting influenza and pneumonia or reduce its severity if you do get it.

In 2019/2020, just over half of Canadians aged 65 and older (51.1%) had received the pneumococcal vaccine.

However, just over one-quarter of older Canadians reported that they either had never heard of the pneumococcal vaccine (27.7%) or that their doctor had not recommended it (25.2%), despite public funding and a vaccination coverage goal of 80% for this age group by 2025.

Over one-third (36.6%) of unvaccinated Canadians did not think the pneumococcal vaccine was necessary.