Doctors advise Ontarians to keep up with vaccines ahead of fall flu season, possible COVID-19 surge – CBC
Strain on hospitals expected to worsen in fall, doctor says
Aug 17, 2022
Ontario doctors are advising people to keep up with vaccinations ahead of the fall, when illnesses including COVID-19 and influenza are expected to spread amid health system challenges one physician said he expects will likely worsen.
Physicians spoke at a virtual panel hosted by the Ontario Medical Association about the pandemic and other health-care issues in the coming months.
Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Zain Chagla at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton said other countries have seen influenza spikes this year and Ontario should brace for something similar, as well as a likely increase in COVID-19 cases in the fall when people begin gathering indoors more often.
“I think with our … globalization, global travel, everything back on the table, really does mean that flu will be introduced more in Ontario, emphasizing the need for people to get their influenza vaccine,” he said.
Flu shots can help avoid serious symptomatic illness and related health-care strain as the system deals with staffing shortages and other challenges, Chagla noted.
Read more: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ont-doctor-panel-1.6554506
