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5 | The IFP -H alton H ills | T hursday,M arch 12,2020 theifp.ca We care about your hearing! Professional Arts Building 99 Sinclair Ave., Suite 210, Georgetown 905-873-6642 Serving the community of Halton Hills and surrounding areas since 1992 The Georgetown Part 2 If you are having difficulty with the hearing instruments, or do not like the sound quality, discuss it with your Hearing Practitioner. Chances are there are adjustments that can be made to the instruments to accommodate your complaint. Remember that you are not alone. There are millions of people with hearing loss, and as the Baby Boomers age, the numbers grow. It is nothing to be ashamed of, and there are many treatment options available to you in these modern times. For more information please call… . . . Lend MeYour Ears GETTING USED TO NEW HEARING INSTRUMENTS By Cory Soal R.H.A.D. Georgetown's trusted choice for hearing care 360 Guelph St., Unit 44 Georgetown (In the Knolcrest Centre) 905.877.8828 Armstrong Ave Delrex Blvd Try before you buy! At Halton Audiometric Centre, we are committed to your hearing healthcare. To find out if hearing aids are right for you, come in for a complimentary assessment and try the latest digital hearing aids risk free! It appears more Halton residents have been afflicted by the common flu this sea- son than last. According to statistics gathered by the Halton Re- gion Health Department, as of Feb. 29 there have been 559 confirmed cases of influen- za, with the illness being dis- tributed fairly equally among children, adults and seniors. By this time last year, there were only 393 cases reported in the region. It's unknown if anyone died from the flu locally as public health units in Onta- rio no longer collect data about influenza-related deaths. Health department offi- cials say differences be- tween flu seasons occur for a variety of reasons, includ- ing: • The type of influenza strains that are circulating • How well matched the flu vaccine is to the circulat- ing strains • Which age groups are most affected • The severity of illness resulting from infection. In addition, public health staff noted many cases of in- fluenza go unreported as lab confirmation isn't necessary or recommended in uncom- plicated cases, and changes to testing limitations over time can affect the total number of confirmed cases. "For these reasons, it's not recommended to com- pare the current flu season to previous flu seasons," Halton health officials said in a prepared response to Metroland Media. With influenza activity peaking in late December and early January, and co- ronavirus media coverage not ramping up until after that, Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hamidah Megh- ani said it's not possible to determine if COVID-19 pre- vention measures have had an impact on this year's flu season. However, the same meth- ods that help prevent respi- ratory illnesses circulating at this time of year, such as the flu and common colds, also help prevent CO- VID-19," she said. The health department recommends local residents protect themselves by wash- ing their hands often with soap and water, or alcohol- based sanitizer if soap isn't available, avoiding facial contact, staying home when feeling ill and getting a flu shot on time in the fall. Those looking for further details can sign up for week- ly influenza updates at hal- ton.ca. REPORTED FLU CASES UP THIS SEASON IN HALTON MELANIE HENNESSEY mhennessey@ metroland.com Halton health officials recommend staying home when suffering from influenza-type symptoms. Shutterstock photo NEWS