• Respiratory viruses are expected to increase this fall as children return to school and people spend more time indoors.
  • Dr. Sales of Oak Valley Health says respiratory viruses follow a seasonal pattern and spread more easily through schools, workplaces, family gatherings and other indoor settings.
  • The Ontario government is rolling out its fall immunization program, with vaccines for high-risk groups available starting Sept. 28.
  • Flu and COVID-19 shots available to the general public beginning Oct. 26.
  • Dr. Sales says the best ways to reduce the risk of serious illness are vaccination and regular hand washing, noting that vaccines are available for influenza, COVID-19 and RSV.
  • Health officials are also encouraging people to stay home when sick, consider masking if they have symptoms, and seek medical attention if they experience prolonged high fevers or breathing difficulties.

 

As children return to school and families spend more time indoors, health experts are warning that respiratory virus season is returning, bringing an increase in illnesses such as influenza, COVID-19 and RSV.

Dr. Valerie Sales, a pediatrician and infectious diseases specialist with Oak Valley Health, says the rise is driven by both the natural seasonality of respiratory viruses and increased indoor contact during the fall and winter months.

“Many viruses, especially the respiratory viruses, have a seasonality to them,” Dr. Sales said. “They will circulate in our hemisphere in the fall and winter.”

She said the return of school, extracurricular activities, workplaces and holiday gatherings creates more opportunities for viruses to spread among families and throughout the community.

“It’s not just the kids that will get sick. It’s the whole family and the grandparents who are babysitting or taking them to the activities,” she said.

The comments come as the Ontario government launches its annual fall immunization campaign. Beginning the week of Sept. 28, flu and COVID-19 vaccines will be available to priority populations, including hospital patients and staff, residents and workers in long-term care and retirement homes, and adults 65 and older. The vaccines will become available to the general public on Oct. 26 through participating pharmacies, public health units and primary care providers.

The province is also expanding protection against RSV, making vaccines available for eligible seniors and high-risk adults, while newborns, infants and some young children will qualify for RSV immunization programs.

Deputy Premier and Health Minister Sylvia Jones said the province is working to ensure residents have convenient access to vaccines ahead of the respiratory illness season.

Dr. Sales says vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of severe illness.

“There’s two things that really will help you stay healthy and that’s, you know, across all infectious diseases, is hand washing and vaccination where we have a vaccine,” she said.

While vaccines are available for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV, many other respiratory viruses have no vaccine protection. For those illnesses, hand hygiene and common-sense precautions remain important tools.

Dr. Sales also encourages people to consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor settings and to stay home when they are sick whenever possible.

“If you have a scratchy throat and you’re not sure if you’re starting something, then wear the mask so that you’re not passing it on to people,” she said.

For most healthy people, respiratory illnesses can be managed at home with rest, fluids and monitoring for worsening symptoms. However, Dr. Sales advises seeking medical attention if high fevers persist for several days or if breathing difficulties develop.

Although exposure to viruses is common during the fall and winter, she says illness is not always unavoidable.

“It’s not totally inevitable,” Dr. Sales said. “But if you’re exposed to young children, you’re going to get sick at some point, though it may not be that severe.”

Health officials are urging Ontarians to update their vaccinations, wash their hands regularly, and take precautions to help limit the spread of respiratory viruses as the busy fall season gets underway.