Ottawa residents facing the highest risk of health complications will have access to both flu and COVID-19 vaccines from Wednesday onwards. Ottawa Public Health (OPH) announced that it has received a batch of vaccines from the province. The distribution to hospitals and long-term care homes began in late September, and from this week onwards, these vaccines will be available for specific high-risk groups.
Those eligible include healthcare workers and first responders, residents living in group homes, pregnant women, individuals 65 years and older, and members of the First Nation, Inuit, or Métis community. Furthermore, children between 6 months and 5 years, individuals with underlying health conditions, and members of racialized communities will also fall under the purview of this drive. All residents will be entitled to the vaccine from October 30th, OPH confirms.
OPH anticipates an atypical 2023/2024 respiratory season. This is due to the simultaneous circulation of various respiratory viruses, including influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), along with COVID-19. Hence, OPH advises everyone from six months of age to receive the yearly flu vaccine and an updated COVID-19 mRNA vaccine, which contains the XBB 1.5 sequence.
The updated COVID-19 vaccine is highly recommended for those who received their last COVID-19 vaccine or contracted the virus six months ago. The newly updated jab is believed to trigger a robust immune response against currently active COVID-19 variants.
Booking appointments for COVID-19 vaccines at OPH Community Clinics can be done through the Ontario COVID-19 vaccination portal or by contacting the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre. Those needing the flu vaccine can do so via the OPH website. This is specifically for children from six months to five years and their family members, or individuals who are at high risk and do not possess OHIP.
Apart from the OPH Community Clinics, several avenues exist to access the flu and updated COVID-19 vaccines. They include booking appointments with your regular healthcare provider, visiting your nearest pharmacy, or an OPH Neighbourhood Health and Wellness Hub if you experience barriers to access these vital vaccines.
Latest OPH data indicates low levels of influenza in the community but moderate levels of RSV and high levels of COVID-19 activity. There were 27 COVID-19-related hospitalizations and three for RSV in the week ending on September 30th. Furthermore, four deaths from COVID-19 were reported in Ottawa the previous week.
