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VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) All visitors to provincial health care facilities will soon need to be vaccinated against the flu or wear a mask.

The rules kick in on Monday.

This is the third flu season the Ministry of Health has put the policy in place to help protect vulnerable patients and seniors from getting the virus.

Tiffany Akins with Vancouver Coastal Health says the honour system will be used to help enforce the new regulations and masks will be handed out to any visitors who havent been vaccinated.

The policy is applicable to any patient care area in any of our Vancouver Coastal health hospitals, our long-term care homes, community health care centres, anywhere you go that is a Vancouver Coastal Health facility, she explains.

The best way to protect your loved ones. is to get a flu shot even if you are normally a healthy person. The shot doesnt only protect you from getting the flu but it also protects everyone around you, including your grandma, your pregnant friends [or] your small child.

She adds if you do plan to visit someone or take family to outpatient appointments, you are eligible for a free flu shot.

Each year, about 3,500 Canadians die from the flu and flu-related complications.

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Masks soon required for health care facility visitors who havent had the flu shot