Flu, RSV and COVID-19 vaccines

Learn more about vaccines for flu, RSV and COVID-19, including eligibility and availability in Hastings and Prince Edward Counties.

RSV vaccine

RSV appointments for infants up to 12 months of age (must be born in 2024) and eligible toddlers up to 24 months of age (meeting high risk criteria) can be booked by choosing a location below.

Belleville

Clinic is located at the public health office at 179 North Park St.

Quinte West

Clinic is located at the public health office at 499 Dundas St. W.

RSV is a major cause of lower respiratory illness that affects the lungs and airways. Although the virus usually causes mild illness with cold-like symptoms, it can lead to more serious illness for infants, young children, older adults and those with underlying health conditions such as asthma, chronic heart or lung disease and a weakened immune system.

RSV vaccine eligibility:

Beyfortus is provided through HPE Public Health for infants and children that meet any of the following criteria:

born in 2024 prior to the RSV season (the National Advisory Committee on Immunization specifically recommends that infants 8 months of age or less be immunized)
born during the 2024–25 RSV season
children up to 24 months of age who remain vulnerable from severe RSV disease through their second RSV season, following discussion with a health care provider, including:
- chronic lung disease (CLD) of prematurity, including bronchopulmonary dysplasia/chronic lung disease
- hemodynamically significant congenital heart disease (CHD)
- severe immunodeficiency
- Down Syndrome/Trisomy 21
- cystic fibrosis with respiratory involvement and/or growth delay
- neuromuscular disease
- severe congenital airway anomalies impairing the clearing of respiratory secretions

If you are not sure if your child is eligible, please contact to discuss eligibility criteria.

RSV for Older Adults

Certain high-risk adults aged 60 years and older may be eligible for the vaccine. This includes adults aged 60 years and older who are also:

residents of long-term care homes, Elder Care Lodges, or retirement homes
patients in hospital receiving alternate level of care (ALC) including similar settings (for example, complex continuing care, hospital transitional programs)
patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis
recipients of solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplants
those experiencing homelessness
those who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Métis

Vaccination in pregnancy

Giving the monoclonal antibody to an infant is the recommended approach over vaccination in pregnancy to protect infants. This is based on the:

efficacy (how well it works)
duration of protection
safety profile of the monoclonal antibody, Beyfortus®
recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI)

An RSV vaccine, Abrysvo®, may be recommended for pregnant people who do not wish to or are not able to protect their infant using the monoclonal antibody. Generally, only one product is recommended to protect infants. In alignment with the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, Beyfortus® is the preferred product to protect infants. Receiving both Abrysvo® and Beyfortus® is not expected to provide additional benefit. The RSV vaccine will be available to people who are 32 to 36 weeks pregnant and who will deliver near the start of or during the RSV season. Being vaccinated during pregnancy helps your immune system create antibodies that protect the baby from RSV from birth until 6 months old.

You must be a resident of Ontario to be eligible for the publicly funded program.

If you are unsure about criteria, please contact your HCP or call us to discuss or book at appointment at https://www.hpepublichealth.ca/clinic/immunization-clinic/

Flu (influenza) vaccine

Even healthy children and adults can become seriously ill with the flu. The Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) offers influenza vaccine free of charge each year to all individuals 6 months of age and older who live, work, or go to school in Ontario.

Vaccination against influenza continues to be important this fall given the potential for the co-circulation of other respiratory diseases (such as COVID-19). Preventing the flu is important to:

protect individual health and the health of families and communities
protect and mitigate impacts on our health care system

Please contact your HCP provider or go to a participating pharmacy for your flu vaccination.

COVID-19/flu vaccine clinics (ages 6 months to 11 years)

COVID 19 vaccine

Read all of Ontario’s vaccination eligibility and recommendations to help protect us against COVID‑19.

COVID-19 vaccines are now available to individuals aged 6 months and over.

Participating primary care providers
Participating pharmacists
COVID-19 vaccine clinics (ages 12 and over)
COVID-19/flu vaccine clinics (ages 6 months to 11 years)

Out of Province Vaccinations

If you received any dose of a COVID-19 vaccination in a different province/out of Canada, please submit your COVID-19 immunization records for out of Ontario vaccination. Note that it may take up to two weeks for your information to be reviewed, approved and registered in the Ontario Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Management System (COVax). Hastings Prince Edward Public Health will contact you once your information has been entered and successfully processed.

Additional Resources

COVID‑19 vaccines – Ontario Ministry of Health

NOTICE

All Hastings Prince Edward Public Health offices – Belleville, Quinte West, Prince Edward County and North Hastings – will be closing at noon on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, to allow for staff participation in an organizational staff development day. We apologize for any disruption this may cause. Our offices will re-open for business as usual on Monday, Nov. 25.