As Canada's annual flu shot campaign gets underway there is added attention this year because of the spread of avian flu.

Although the shots being offered to Canadians won't combat the avian strain many people say they're not taking any chances.

"A lot of people are certainly talking about avian flu these days," says Dr. Howard Conter, a family physician in Halifax, "I think we have to be honest with our patients that the flu shot we are giving out this year has nothing to do with protection [against] avian flu."

(CP file photo)

There are increasing reports about the spread of avian influenza among birds from country to country, though there's no scientific evidence that bird flu passes from human to human.

But if it does mutate, there are fears of a pandemic.

"We do not have a vaccine anywhere in the world for avian flu at this point," said Dr. Robert Strang of the Nova Scotia Department of Health.

The flu shot many Canadians are getting will only protect them against several strains of human influenza. But virologist Dr. Todd Hatchette says getting that shot could help prepare for the fight against a future pandemic.

"If there are more people demanding the vaccine there'll be more drug companies interested in making the vaccine, which of course will increase our capacity to rise to the challenge of preparing a vaccine quickly in the time of a pandemic."

Health Canada is also advising people travelling to avian flu countries to get a regular flu vaccination.

"There is a theoretical advantage that if you prevent human flu, and God forbid you get exposed to avian flu, and have the same virus in the same person and you could get his mixing of genes and out comes a new virus that is more easily, more readily affecting humans," said Dr. Hatchette.

Children and seniors are most susceptible to flu and should be the first to get a shot.

"We're comfortable knowing that we have vaccine available for essentially a third of the people in our province," said Dr. Strang, "and we are very comfortable that that is enough to meet our demand."