COVID, flu and RSV likely mean a challenging winter, says Etches – CBC

Getting vaccinated offers best protection, she says; handwashing more of a focus

Nov 02, 2022

Ottawa’s medical officer of health is again promoting COVID and flu vaccines as the city tackles a long and challenging respiratory illness season.

Dr. Vera Etches sent her first media statement of autumn Wednesday, going over the “very active respiratory illness season” and offering ways for people to protect themselves and others.

COVID levels have been high in recent weeks, with pandemic trends stable or rising.

As of Tuesday the city had its most active, local COVID hospitalizations (50) since February after a summer with many more COVID patients than the previous two. It reported 31 COVID deaths during October.

Flu cases and test positivity are rising, Etches said, and the city’s first flu outbreak came about a month earlier than normal. There’s also more RSV in the city, putting an unprecedented load on the children’s hospital.

Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-covid-flu-rsv-winter-health-safety-1.6637829