Ontario’s flu season started earlier this year and cases appear to be gradually rising on a week-by-week basis. But, data also shows this year’s vaccine is working well. According to Public Health Ontario, there were 360 positive cases of influenza (all types) reported across the province between Oct. 18 and Oct. 24. A week earlier, there were 305 cases and a week before that, 225. However, even though Ontario’s flu season kicked off in early September, the efficacy of the currently available flu shot seems strong. Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch pointed to the National Microbiology Lab of Canada tests for circulating influenza strains, which determines how good the match is for this year’s flu shot. “The early data, where they tested 116 samples, demonstrated that the current flu vaccine or the flu vaccine that’s being rolled out this year is a pretty good match, like a really good match for the circulating flu. So, great news,” he said in an interview with CTV News Toronto on Tuesday. The province began rolling out free flu shots for some groups in late September, and opened up availability Ontario-wide on Oct. 26. In a news release published Tuesday, Toronto Public Health encouraged residents to get both their flu and COVID-19 vaccines. “Free flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available for everyone aged six months and older through participating pharmacies and health-care providers across Toronto. TPH is also holding a vaccination clinic for everyone aged six months and older on Thursday, Nov. 5, at North York Civic Centre, where residents can receive flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines,” they said. Bogoch added that currently-available COVID-19 vaccines also appear to be working well to combat the spread of the disease. In Ontario, there were 258 lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 week ending Oct. 24.
