What Vaccines To Get This Flu Season
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(Image: iStock)
With the arrival of another Canadian winter comes the arrival of respiratory virus season. Which also means it’s time to protect your own health and that of others by getting vaccinated. The “big three” respiratory illnesses of the season are influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
We spoke with Dr. Christine Palmay, a Toronto-based family doctor, for a shot-by-shot breakdown of recommended seasonal vaccines, what’s covered under your provincial health plan and everything else you need to know to gear up for sniffle season.
Influenza (a.k.a. The flu)
Influenza is a respiratory infection caused primarily by influenza A and B viruses. Seasonal influenza epidemics occur annually in Canada, generally in the late fall and winter months.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
While Palmay encourages everyone to get their flu shot annually between mid-October to early November, the vaccine is especially strongly recommended for seniors, pregnant people, children six months of age or older, First Nations, Métis and Inuit individuals (due to historical health outcomes for marginalized communities) and people with chronic health conditions.
Do you have to pay for the flu shot?
Flu shots are available at no cost for everyone across Canada. Read more about the flu vaccine rollout in your province and where to get your shot.
COVID-19
COVID-19 remains a public health concern because of its potential to cause illness that ranges from mild symptoms to severe outcomes, including hospitalization and death. Vaccination may also prevent symptoms that last beyond your initial illness—in other words, long-COVID.
Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine?
In line with NACI recommendations, Palmay says it's best for all Canadians six months and older to receive an annual COVID booster shot before flu season gets underway. Those considered at higher risk of severe illness, such as seniors and immunocompromised people, should get their COVID shot twice a year.
Approved COVID vaccines available to Canadians include the Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty, Moderna Spikevax and Novavax Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccines. These are safe to take at the same time as other seasonal vaccines.
Wearing a mask, especially when you’re feeling under the weather, can lower the risk of passing on respiratory illness to others.
Do you have to pay for the COVID vaccine?
The COVID vaccine is available at no cost at most provincial health clinics. If you live in Alberta or Quebec, recent changes mean that some patients will have to pay out of pocket for a COVID-19 vaccine.
COVID vaccine eligibility in Alberta
According to Alberta Blue Cross, the COVID-19 vaccine is available through public health clinics for free for the following Alberta:
- Health care workers
- All residents of continuing care homes and seniors' supportive living accommodations
- Home care clients
- Individuals experiencing houselessness
- Individuals aged 65 and older receiving the Alberta Seniors Benefit
- Children aged six months and older with underlying medical conditions or compromised immune systems
The vaccine is available to all other Albertans six months and older for $100 per dose through public health clinics.
COVID vaccine eligibility in Quebéc
According to the INSPQ, the Quebec public health institute, the COVID-19 vaccine is free for Quebéc residents considered at risk, including:
- People aged 65 and older
- Those who are immunocompromised or have chronic illnesses
- Residents of long-term care facilities, private seniors' residences and other vulnerable settings
- Health-care workers, adults in remote regions and pregnant people
The out-of-pocket cost of a COVID shot for all other Quebéc residents ranges from $150 to $180.
Despite these potential barriers to immunization, Palmay stresses that for everyone, even those not considered higher-risk, getting your yearly COVID shot is worth it.
“While there's a [monetary] cost [for] vaccines, there is possibly a cost to not being vaccinated,” says Palmay. “Speak to any survivor of vaccine-preventable disease. These people would go back in time and pay anything to [get] some sort of protection,” she says.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
RSV infection is a major cause of lower respiratory tract illness, particularly among infants, young children and older adults, according to the Canadian Immunization Guide for RSV.
Who should get the RSV vaccine?
- Adults 75 or older, especially those with certain conditions, such as weakened immune systems or heart or lung disease, that put them at increased risk for RSV.
- Adults 60+ living in nursing and chronic care homes.
- Adults 50 to 75 can consider getting the vaccine in consultation with their doctor
- Infants born during RSV season
There are three vaccines available to protect adults 60 years of age and older from RSV: Arexvy, Abrysvo and mRESVIA. These are safe to take alongside other seasonal vaccines.
RSV immunization should be considered for any infant entering their first RSV season and for infants at ongoing increased risk during their second RSV season. Infants and at-risk children can receive a monoclonal antibody immunization called Beyfortus.
Pregnant people can also receive the Abrysvo RSV vaccine from 32 to 36 weeks gestation if advised by their healthcare provider.
Once you get your shot, the RSV vaccine is effective for multi-year protection, so you don’t need it each year. The RSV vaccine is safe to take alongside your other seasonal vaccines.
Do you have to pay for the RSV vaccine?
Free vaccines available are for certain groups considered at-risk; but this varies by province. Nova Scotia and Ontario recently expanded their RSV coverage. According to Health Canada, the out-of-pocket cost for one RSV vaccine dose is approximately $230, but this also varies by province. Vaccines are available for purchase in pharmacies with a prescription from your healthcare provider.
The RSV Project is a Canadian resource that breaks down eligibility for the RSV vaccine by province.
The bottom line
Palmay has some additional commonsense tips for flu season, including prioritizing sleep, a healthy diet and regular handwashing for at least 15 to 20 seconds, as well as keeping sick children away from elderly people. Also ensure your base vaccinations—such as measles—are up to date.
“In some cases, the effects of these vaccine-preventable diseases change the trajectory of a person's life," she says. “Great medicine treats disease, but excellent medicine prevents it.”
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Born in Calgary, Alberta, Grace is an editorial intern at Chatelaine. Her work has appeared in The Eyeopener, CanCulture Magazine, City Farmer News, the Literary Review of Canada, and others. When she isn't inundated with work from the hundreds of little side projects she's taken on, she loves to bake, garden, and have deep conversations with her cat, Sherlock.
