Let's beat the flu

À bas la grippe

Everyone is at risk of getting the flu. Get the flu shot each fall to protect you and your family, friends and co-workers. Since the virus that causes influenza changes frequently, you need to get a new flu shot each year.

The influenza vaccine is free and available to people six months of age and older who live, work or attend school in Ontario. Those at high risk for flu-related complications should especially get the vaccine:

• Children 5 years of age and younger
• Adults 65 years of age and older
• Residents of nursing homes or chronic care facilities
• People with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, lung, heart or kidney disease
• Pregnant women
• Aboriginal peoples
• People who are obese

Those who live or work with people who are high risk (i.e. health care workers and essential community services staff) should also get the vaccine.

Toronto Public Health is reassuring the public that the flu vaccine is safe and effective and is still the best defence against getting the flu. Health Canada has lifted the suspension of Novartis manufactured flu vaccine (Agriflu and Fluad) after a thorough review. All flu vaccines used in Canada are safe.

Get the flu shot at Toronto Public Health's Community Flu Clinics, doctors' offices, walk-in medical clinics and some pharmacies.

More information

• Rick Mercer's flu vaccine rant (YouTube video)
• CTV interview with Dr. Dubey, Associate Medical Officer of Health, Toronto Public Health
• Suspension lifted of Novartis flu vaccine – Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (PDF)
• Suspension of Novartis Vaccines - Ministry of Health and Long Term Care
• The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care Influenza Information
• Weekly Influenza News

Influenza and the influenza vaccine fact sheet (English) is available in several languages.

Arabic | Bengali | Chinese | Czech | Dari | Farsi | French | Gujarati | Hungarian | Korean | Portuguese | Punjabi | Romanian | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Tamil | Urdu | Vietnamese

Do you have the flu? Symptoms checklist (PDF)

Arabic | Bengali | Chinese | English | Farsi | French | Greek | Gujarati | Italian | Korean | Portuguese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Tamil | Urdu | Vietnamese

Taking care of yourself: what to do if you get the flu (PDF)

Arabic | Bengali | Chinese | English | Farsi | French | Greek | Gujarati | Italian | Korean | Portuguese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Tamil | Urdu | Vietnamese

Flu vaccine consent form for adults (English) (14 years and older) (PDF)

Arabic | Bengali | Chinese | Czech | Dari | Farsi | Gujarati | Hungarian | Korean | Portuguese | Punjabi | Romanian | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Tamil | Urdu | Vietnamese

Flu vaccine consent form for children (English) (PDF)

Arabic | Bengali | Chinese | Czech | Dari | Farsi | Gujarati | Hungarian | Korean | Portuguese | Punjabi | Romanian | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Tamil | Urdu | Vietnamese

Stop the spread of germs
(Posters and fact sheets available in 18 languages)

Call 311 for additional information.

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Last updated January 2013