Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Nov. 18, 2022 –
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is reporting the first confirmed seasonal outbreak of Influenza A in our region at Hastings Centennial Manor. All community members are strongly urged to get their flu shot as soon as possible to reduce their risk of severe illness, and help protect their loved ones, the vulnerable in our community, and the health care system.
“This is going to be a difficult respiratory virus season, and we are already seeing children being hospitalized at much higher rates than usual due to respiratory infections,” says Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Medical Officer of Health and CEO at HPEPH. “The best thing you can do to protect yourself and the most vulnerable members of our community – children, the elderly and the immunocompromised – is to get your annual flu shot, stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and follow the simple steps we know are effective in limiting the spread of viruses.”
Stay up to date with vaccines
The influenza vaccine is available free of charge to anyone in Ontario over the age of six months. Influenza causes mild to severe illness and can lead to serious health complications, even in healthy children and adults.
- Contact your health care provider or a local pharmacy to get your annual flu shot.
- HPEPH is also offering a limited number of flu shot appointments to children under the age of five who do not have a primary care provider. Visit CanadaEHS.com/hpePublicHealth for upcoming clinic dates. Appointments are required.
- Visit hpePublicHealth.ca/vaccine-booking or contact a local pharmacy to find COVID-19 vaccination near you.
Steps to stop the spread of respiratory infections
- Continue to screen daily for symptoms of cough, cold, flu, COVID-19, or RSV at Ontario.ca/exposed. For school and childcare, use Ontario school and childcare screener or the printable school screening tools available at hpePublicHealth.ca/back-to-school-planning-parents.
- Stay home if you are sick or have new or worsening symptoms – even symptoms that seem minor.
- Wear a mask when in public indoor settings, cover your cough, and keep hands and surfaces clean.
Stay informed using the respiratory infection dashboard
To help improve awareness of the rates of local respiratory infections, HPEPH has a dashboard to track and report confirmed respiratory infections and outbreaks in the region. The dashboard is 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 dashboard is accessible at hpePublicHealth.ca/respiratory-update.
The new dashboard shows 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.
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Media contacts
Emily Tubbs, Communications Specialist
etubbs@hpeph.ca
Maureen Hyland, Communications Specialist
hyland.maureen@hpeph.ca
About Hastings Prince Edward Public Health
Hastings Prince Edward Public Health (HPEPH) is a public health agency that serves the counties of Hastings and Prince Edward from four local offices. HPEPH is situated and provides services on the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe, Huron-Wendat and Haudenosaunee people. We monitor the health of our local population, deliver programs and services within our communities, and help develop healthy public policies. We provide information and support in many areas to help improve the health and well-being of our residents. Together with our communities, we help people become as healthy as they can be. For more information, please visit hpePublicHealth.ca. You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram.
