Today, Toronto Public Health (TPH) launched the annual online flu vaccine booking system to help residents schedule their appointments for TPH’s annual flu vaccine clinics. TPH flu vaccine clinics will be offered at the five City of Toronto mass immunization clinics and will be available only by booking an appointment.
TPH flu vaccine clinics will be offered starting this week until the end of December. All Toronto residents who wish to get the flu vaccine will also be able to get vaccinated at doctors’ offices or participating pharmacies.
Annual flu vaccination is important to protect vulnerable residents from more severe illness. This includes older adults, individuals with chronic and pre-existing health conditions, residents of nursing homes and chronic care facilities, children six months to five years of age and pregnant women.
Influenza, also known as the flu, can spread to others before symptoms even appear. The flu is spread from person to person by small droplets produced by a cough or sneeze or through contact with contaminated hands, surfaces or objects, similar to COVID-19. Typical flu symptoms include a high fever, chills, sore throat, cough and muscle aches. Other common symptoms include headache, loss of appetite and feeling tired. Symptoms of the flu can be difficult to tell apart from symptoms of COVID-19, without a test.
Recovering from the flu usually takes a week to 10 days, but for some people it can worsen pre-existing health conditions such as asthma or heart disease or develop into more serious health problems such as pneumonia and, in rare circumstances, can be fatal.
The flu vaccine is free for people six months of age and older who live, work or attend school in Ontario. A health card is not required at a TPH clinic. Flu clinic appointments can be booked online
More information about the flu is available here.
Quotes:
“We’re doing everything we can as a City to make sure residents have access to the flu vaccine. Getting this annual vaccination helps protect you from the flu – that’s even more important this year as we work to confront the COVID-19 pandemic. Please get your flu shot as soon as you can. Thank you to everyone working to help administer flu vaccines in pharmacies, doctors’ offices, and clinics across the city.”
– Mayor John Tory
“Over the past year and a half, we’ve learned a great deal about the steps we can take to help protect ourselves from infectious diseases. One of the best ways to reduce the risk of influenza is to get your flu shot as soon as possible. The flu vaccine will be available in doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and by appointment at our mass immunization clinics, and I encourage every Torontonian to get their shot in order to help protect themselves and their loved ones.”
– Councillor Joe Cressy (Spadina-Fort York), Chair of the Toronto Board of Health
“Getting a flu vaccine is one of the best ways to protect yourself and others from getting sick with the flu. As we live with COVID-19, this action is more important than ever to protect our healthcare system and ensure that our health resources are available for those who need them most. In addition to getting your annual flu vaccine now, washing your hands often, covering your cough or sneeze and staying home when you are sick are important ways to reduce the spread of the flu and COVID-19. These steps, in addition to wearing a mask when physical distance cannot be maintained, will help protect you and those around you.”
– Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health
Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
Media contact: Toronto Public Health Media Relations, tphmedia@toronto.ca