How to get COVID-19 and flu vaccines in northwestern Ontario this fall

Local health units in northwestern Ontario are encouraging people to get their flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines.

In the Thunder Bay District Health Unit (TBDHU), both vaccines became available earlier this week for everyone six months and older.

The TBDHU began offering COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot clinics throughout October for high-priority groups — people at greater risk of more severe complications from infections:

• Children under five.
• Adults 65 and older.
• Those with underlying medical conditions.
• Pregnant people.
• Those in or from First Nation, Inuit or Métis communities.

These clinics will continue to be offered this month at the CLE Coliseum in Thunder Bay. The general public is urged to book vaccine appointments through the province's online booking system.

"We want to ensure that all priority populations and those eligible have easy access to vaccines," said Laura Dennis, manager of the vaccine preventable disease program at the TBDHU.

"We're targeting those that are highest risk to make sure that they have access, and our clinics are booking up very quickly." 

Those who work in health-care and other congregate settings are also highly encouraged to get both vaccines, since they work closely with the most vulnerable populations, she said.

Stable supply, healthy demands

The health unit is seeing about 250 people each week at its vaccine clinics, while local pharmacies have been administering between 70 and 80 per cent of doses to the general population, said Dennis.

"We see their availability is very good. Many pharmacies have same-day appointments, so the demand isn't exceeding the services at this point," she said.

People can get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time, which pharmacist Vinay Kapoor said he recommends.

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"If you do have a down day after getting either one of the vaccines, it's at least happening on one day and not spread over two days," said Kapoor, who owns Dawson Heights Pharmacy.

The pharmacy has given out about 250 vaccines in the last week, he said, which was a combination of flu and COVID-19 doses. While he's seen high demand for both vaccines and appointments filling up quickly, the numbers are still lower than last year.

"I think people have become a little bit complacent. It's not as high as it's been in the past, but it's still fairly healthy," he said.

Kapoor said he advises people to make an informed decision about whether they want to get the vaccines.

"We don't try to become too overbearing," he said. "We tell them especially if they're around elderly people, people [with] immune-compromised systems, [it is] not only for themselves, it's for their loved ones that they're associating with."

While the online booking system has helped streamline the process, Kapoor said walk-ins are still available at Dawson Heights Pharmacy, and are especially convenient for those who aren't comfortable making an appointment online.

Mass clinics being offered

While there are fewer pharmacies providing COVID-19 and flu vaccines in the Northwestern Health Unit's (NWHU) catchment area, mass clinics are being offered in a number of communities to help improve people's access to these services.

"We are trying to push people to either their health-care provider or a local participating pharmacy," said Laura Homer, program specialist for the NWHU's vaccine preventable disease program.

"We will be continuing with some in-office appointments after our mass clinics are completed."

It takes about two weeks for people's immune systems to fully respond to vaccines, said Homer, which is why she urges people to book appointments as soon as possible. Those who live in the NWHU's catchment area can also find details about local immunizations online.

More information about vaccines in the TBDHU, including upcoming clinics in Thunder Bay and the district, can be found on the health unit's website.

As for the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shots for infants that did not receive it at the hospital, the TBDHU is holding clinics, while the NWHU encourages people to go to their health-care provider or make an office-based appointment.