Health Minister Cameron Friesen encouraged Manitobans to get vaccinated against the flu while getting pricked with a shot of his own Thursday.

The province officially kicked off its flu vaccine campaign Thursday, though the vaccine has been available in Winnipeg pharmacies for a couple of weeks.

"It's important for you to get your flu shot, and so I'm getting mine today," Friesen said before a pharmacist administered the flu vaccine in his left arm.

There were delays initially in getting the flu vaccines into the province, but Friesen said Manitoba now has about 84 per cent of its anticipated supply.

Seventeen people died of the flu last year and 42 were admitted into intensive care units, the province said in a news release, down from 46 deaths and 35 intensive care admissions during the 2017-18 flu season.

There were another 228 influenza-related hospitalizations during the 2018-19 flu season, compared to 505 the year before.

Tom Farrell, president of the Manitoba Association of Senior Centres, stressed the need for every Manitoban to get the shot.

"The people who tell me, well, they're not going to get this shot, they feel it's something they don't need, well I'll tell you: you do need it," he said.

"I have personally seen friends laid up for weeks with the flu because they were very, very ill."

Watch Friesen get the flu shot:

Health Minister Cameron Friesen explains why the flu shot is important and where to get it. 1:12

Friesen echoed Farrell.

"It's not only important for seniors or those with compromised immune systems, but it's important if you are around anyone like that," Friesen said of the value in getting vaccinated.

"We all know someone in our life who is a senior, an infant, someone with diabetes or asthma or some other kind of condition that would lead to some kind of suppressed immune system — get your flu shot."

The government anticipates health professionals will give about 300,000 people flu shots this fall.

There were about 336,000 shots administered last flu season, which translates to almost one in four people with Manitoba health cards getting vaccinated, the province said.