Get your flu shot: Toumishey

The flu season has begun and local public health officials are encouraging people to get the flu shot.

Medical Officer of Health Dr. Ethan Toumishey reported on the situation at a meeting of the Hastings Prince Edward Board of Health on Wednesday.

 Toumishey says there have been low numbers of flu cases because of the public health COVID-19 restrictions over the past couple of years.

With those restrictions removed now, Toumishey expects at least the normal amount of cases of flu.

“When we looked at this season we’re concerned because the impact across respiratory viruses. We see COVID-19 continue to have a big impact. Influenza having a big impact in a regular year so in addition to that  we see RSV affecting kids in our community. So that combination impacts from viruses we view as being a severe risk.

New respiratory infection dashboard

To help improve awareness of the rates of local respiratory infections, HPEPH has launched a new dashboard to track and report confirmed respiratory infections and outbreaks in the region. The dashboard will be updated weekly on Tuesdays throughout respiratory virus season, and will track respiratory infections other than COVID-19 – which will continue to be reported on the COVID-19 dashboard.

The new dashboard will report confirmed cases of Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Enterovirus/Rhinovirus, and Parainfluenza identified in health care settings, as well as emergency department visits for influenza-like illnesses. It is important to note that, as the dashboard will only report cases that are tested and confirmed in the above-mentioned settings, it does not capture the full rate of infection circulating in the community. The dashboard is accessible at hpePublicHealth.ca/respiratory-update/.

How to protect yourself and others this season

With the knowledge that COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory viruses are circulating in the community, residents are reminded to:

• Protect yourself and your family. Stay up-to-date with your COVID-19 and flu vaccines to reduce your risk. Wash your hands often.
• Protect the vulnerable. Stay home when sick and wear a mask when recovering. These steps will limit the spread of colds, the flu, and COVID-19, protecting the vulnerable and the health care services that we all rely on.
• Protect our health care services. Do what you can to limit the spread of illness and reduce your risk of severe illness to help ensure our health care workers are available for those who need them most.

Find information about COVID-19 vaccination and upcoming clinics at hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-booking/.