Learn more about vaccines for flu, RSV and COVID-19, including eligibility and availability in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.
RSV prevention
RSV prevention infant program
The Ontario government has expanded its RSV program to protect more high-risk populations during respiratory season. Starting in the fall, RSV immunization will be available to infants and toddlers who are:
- Infants born April 1 or after and less than 8 months of age up to the end of the RSV season, and
- Children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease through their second RSV season, following a discussion with a health care provider, including children with:
- Chronic lung disease (CLD), including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
- Hemodynamically significant cyanotic or acyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD)
- Severe immunodeficiency
- Down Syndrome or Trisomy 21
- Cystic fibrosis with recurrent pulmonary exacerbations requiring hospitalization, deteriorating pulmonary function and/or severe growth delay
- Neuromuscular disease impairing clearing of respiratory secretions
- Severe congenital airway anomalies impairing the clearing of respiratory secretions
If you are unsure whether your child is eligible, call 613-966-5500 or 1-800-267-2803 ext. 221 to discuss eligibility criteria.
New parents delivering in hospital
- Beyfortus will be given at the hospital after birth, before your baby is discharged.
New parents not delivering in hospital and for infants less than 8 months of age
- Health-care providers.
- For those without health-care providers, Southeast Public Health is holding clinics in Belleville and Quinte West.
Infants born April 1 or after and less than 8 months of age up to the end of the RSV season or high-risk children under 24 months of age
- Health-care providers.
- For those without health-care providers, Southeast Public Health is holding clinics in Belleville and Quinte West.
- A preventive antibody medication that is given to a child (Beyfortus TM also known as Nirsevimab)
- A vaccine that is given to a pregnant person (Abrysvo TM also known as RSVpreF)
- Born April 1 or after and less than 8 months of age up to the end of the RSV season
- Children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable to severe RSV disease through their second RSV season, following a discussion with a health care provider, including children with:
- Chronic lung disease (CLD), including bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
- Hemodynamically significant cyanotic or acyanotic congenital heart disease (CHD)
- Severe immunodeficiency
- Down Syndrome or Trisomy 21
- Cystic fibrosis with recurrent pulmonary exacerbations requiring hospitalization, deteriorating pulmonary function and/or severe growth delay
- Neuromuscular disease impairing clearing of respiratory secretions
- Severe congenital airway anomalies impairing the clearing of respiratory secretions
- Canada’s National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) has found that Beyfortus is safe for babies and young children and effective at preventing RSV-related illnesses that leads to hospitalization.
- Side effects of Beyfortus are usually mild and last only a few days. Common side effects include:
- redness, swelling and pain at the injection site
- rash
- fever
- For more safety information, see NACI’s statement on RSV prevention in infants.
- Given between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy if the baby’s due date is near the start of or during the RSV season.
- Abrysvo helps the pregnant person’s immune system create antibodies that can be passed to the baby during pregnancy, which will protect the baby after birth until they are six months of age.
- Speak with your health-care provider or contact South East Health Unit for more information if you are considering this vaccine. Beyfortus is the recommended option.
RSV prevention adults 60 years of age and older
Starting this fall, Ontario is expanding the publicly funded RSV immunization program to include all individuals 75 years of age and older.
This page is currently being updated to reflect these upcoming changes.
Up to date information on the 2025–2026 RSV prevention programs will be available on this page before the RSV season begins in the fall.
The Ontario government has also expanded its RSV program to protect more high-risk populations during the 2025/2026 respiratory season.
Starting this fall, publicly funded RSV vaccine will be available to individuals who are:
- Adults 75 years of age and older
- Adults 60 to 74 years of age who meet high-risk criteria, including:
- Residents of long-term care homes, retirement homes, or Elder Care Lodges
- Patients in hospital receiving alternate level of care (ALC)
- Patients receiving dialysis
- Solid organ or stem cell transplant recipients
- Individuals experiencing homelessness
- Individuals who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis
- Health- care provider (HCP).
- Pharmacies will not be authorized to administer publicly funded RSV vaccines.
- Eligible individuals who do not have a primary care provider can book an appointment at one of our immunization clinics for older adults.
- A prescription from a primary care provider is required.
- The vaccine can be obtained and administered at a local pharmacy, for purchase.
- If you received an RSV vaccine previously, you do not need another dose this season.
- Studies show multi-year protection, and the timing for future doses is still under review.
- There are two vaccine products available in Canada to provide protection against lower respiratory tract disease caused by RSV for individuals 60 years of age and older.
- Abrysvo™
- Arexvy
- Both vaccines are authorized by Health Canada and recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI).
- Both Arexvy and Abrysvo™ have been shown to be safe and demonstrated high effectiveness in preventing severe disease from RSV.
- The RSV vaccine can be co-administered with (received at the same time as) both seasonal and non-seasonal vaccines.
- Like any other vaccine or medication, the RSV vaccine may have some side effects, which in most cases are mild and last only a few days.
- Common side effects after the RSV vaccine can include:
- pain, redness and swelling where the shot is given
- fatigue (feeling tired)
- fever
- headache
- nausea
- diarrhea
- muscle or joint pain
Influenza
Protect yourself against the flu
You can help protect yourself against the flu by getting your flu vaccine. The earlier you get the vaccine, the better your chances are to prevent getting the flu. The flu is a viral infection that can have severe complications. Anyone can get the flu virus. The flu is not just a cold. You could miss school, work, parties, holidays, or even end up in the hospital.
The flu vaccine helps your body help itself. The vaccine will trigger your body to fight off infection if you come into contact with the flu. This means you either will not get the flu, or the symptoms will be greatly reduced. Each year, different strains of the flu virus appear. Scientists predict which strains will be most likely to affect us for the coming year. These strains are used to make up the year’s flu vaccine. This is why it is important to be immunized each fall.
Getting your flu vaccine is good for everyone. When more people get their flu vaccine, the odds of the flu virus spreading goes down. This protects those who are most vulnerable such as children under 5 years of age, adults 65 years of age or older, pregnant women, as well as those living with chronic health conditions like diabetes, cancer, and HIV or AIDS.
In addition to getting your flu vaccine, you can help stop the spread of the flu, and protect yourself and your family by following a few easy steps:
- Wash your hands frequently with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
- Cover your coughs and sneezes with your arm, not your hand.
- If you are sick, stay at home
- Do not visit hospitalized patients or residents of retirement homes or long-term care homes if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms.
- Your primary care provider or family doctor
- Your local pharmacist
- Pharmacies can give flu shots to those with or without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card. Check with your local pharmacy to see if they will give you your flu vaccine.
- At South East Health Unit, we will be offering the influenza vaccine to children under five years of age who do not have a primary care provider.
COVID 19 vaccine
Getting vaccinated and staying up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations is the best way to remain protected against the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection, including hospitalization.
South East Health Unit will be holding COVID-19 vaccine clinics for children under 5 years of age without a primary care provider when vaccines become available.
For more information about COVID-19 vaccinations, visit the Ministry of Health website.
COVID-19 Vaccine
- Participating primary care providers
- Participating pharmacists (for those two years of age and older)
- Southeast Public Health will be holding COVID-19 vaccine clinics for children 6 months to under 5 years of age without a primary care provider when vaccines become available.
