The arrival of autumn means the arrival of some respiratory illnesses, and the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) wants to ensure people are immunized.
The health unit will focus on Windsor-Essex's vulnerable population as its fall immunization campaign kicks off. Working with the Ontario Ministry of Health, people are being urged to get their flu and COVID-19 vaccinations as soon as they are available to them.
Pharmacies, doctor's offices, and clinics are being brought in as places where people can go to get these shots, allowing the health unit to concentrate on people who may have limited options. The latest vaccines will arrive later this month, for general availability on October 28.
The health unit will focus on getting hospitals and long-term care facilities first, then at-risk individuals.
At-risk individuals include those who are 65 or older, living in long-term care homes, pregnant, members of Indigenous communities, members of racialized or underserved communities, and those who have medical conditions making them more susceptible to COVID-19, influenza, and other respiratory illnesses.
Those receiving priority vaccines include children aged six months to four years, staff and care providers of long-term care facilities, health care workers, first responders, and those exposed to birds and mammals such as veterinarians, meat processing plant workers, and others.
Ontario will also continue the high-risk older adult RSV vaccine program introduced in 2023 with expanded eligibility.
Starting this year, families with infants and high-risk children up to 24 months old will have access to the new RSV immunization product, Beyfortus, through the publicly funded RSV prevention program. Pregnant women will also have the option to receive a single dose of Abrysvo. Details on the expanded RSV program can be found online.
If you have any questions or concerns about immunizations or the expanded RSV program, visit the health unit's official website or speak to your healthcare provider.
