Ontario is being hit with a triple threat this season.
COVID-19, RSV and influenza are all circulating at the same time.
Because of this, Ontario Chief Medical Officer of Health Dr. Kieran Moore says everyone needs to go back to basics to protect children from respiratory viruses.
He is “strongly recommending” everyone wear masks in all indoor public settings, wash their hands and get COVID-19 booster shots and flu shots.
But Moore is stopping short of issuing a mask mandate.
Closer to home, Huron Perth Public Health is also urging the community to use all layers of protection including masking and vaccination to protect everyone.
Layers of protection include:
· Staying home if you are sick
· Screening for respiratory symptoms daily
· Wearing a mask in indoor public settings
· Staying up-to-date with vaccines (including COVID-19 and influenza)
· Practicing good hand hygiene
· Regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces
Get your flu shot at pharmacies, or primary care providers, and for families with children 6 months to 2 years old without a family doctor, HPPH is holding an upcoming clinic.
It will take place on Monday November 21st from 3-6 at the HPPH Stratford West Gore Site.
Some major children’s hospitals in Ontario are cancelling non-urgent surgeries and redeploying staff to emergency and intensive care units that are already operating over capacity.
Written by Rob Ross and Kyla Close
