Take Charge This Respiratory Season: Get Vaccinated and Choose the Right Care

Hastings and Prince Edward Counties/Oct. 21, 2024

A joint statement from Quinte Health, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health and the Hastings Prince Edward Ontario Health Team.

As the respiratory illness season approaches, Quinte Health, Hastings Prince Edward Public Health, and the Hastings Prince Edward Ontario Health Team are urging everyone to take proactive steps to protect their health and reduce the strain on local health-care resources. Stay up to date with respiratory vaccinations, know where to go for non-urgent health concerns, and follow preventive measures.

Protect Yourself and Others

“We are urging everyone to do their part to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses. By taking action now you can protect yourself, your family and your community and help preserve our hospital capacity to ensure care is always available for those in need,” said Dr. Ethan Toumishey, Medical Officer of Health for Hastings Prince Edward Public Health.

Staying up to date with flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccinations is one of the most effective ways to prevent serious illness, especially for those at higher risk. Vaccines are available at participating pharmacies, through some family doctors and nurse practitioners, and public health clinics. Be sure to check your eligibility and make your appointment to stay protected this season.

Choose the Right Care

For non-urgent health concerns, you don’t always need to visit the emergency department, even if you don’t have a family doctor. Services like Health811 allow you to speak with a health professional who can guide you to the care you need, freeing up emergency rooms for those who need them most. Or make an appointment with a virtual care clinic, such as East Region Virtual Care. By making informed choices, you’re helping to ensure that emergency care is available when it’s truly necessary.

Prevent Serious Illness

Each year in Canada, approximately 12,200 people are hospitalized, and 3,500 people die from complications related to influenza. If you’re in a high-risk group, or if you care for someone who is, taking preventive actions is critical. In addition to getting vaccinated, wash your hands often and clean high-touch surfaces frequently, cover your coughs and sneezes, stay home when you’re unwell and wear a mask when in public settings as you recover. You may also consider wearing a tight-fitting, well-constructed mask in indoor public settings, especially if you are at higher risk of severe infection.

Keep Your Community Healthy

By taking these steps, you can help keep yourself, your loved ones, and our community healthy during this respiratory illness season. Together, we can reduce the impact of these viruses and help protect those at higher risk.

For more information on vaccine eligibility and where to receive your flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccinations, visit hpePublicHealth.ca or speak with your health-care provider.  For information about options for non-urgent care, visit the Know Where to Go section of the Quinte Health website.

View this helpful infographic about vaccines and other protective measures (Pdf).