Summerville wants to remind you to remain safe this respiratory illness season by staying up to date on vaccines, practicing good hand hygiene and staying home when ill. Vaccines are critical in protecting you against serious illness.
The new COVID-19 vaccine has recently been approved and is now available for high-risk and priority populations through:
It is strongly recommended that individuals at high risk as well as essential service workers get the new COVID vaccine.
Free flu shots are now available for the most vulnerable and high-priority populations at doctor and nurse practitioner offices, participating pharmacies and some public health units. To learn more, visit Ontario.ca/flu. Learn if you are part of these high priority groups. Summerville has a limited supply of flu vaccines available and will be providing vaccines to high priority groups first. We also encourage you to visit your local pharmacy, however, if you do receive your flu shot outside of our clinics, please let your doctor’s office know, especially if you are aged 65 and older. It is important for your overall health care that we have our records up to date.
Beginning November 4, families with infants up to 8 months old and children with high-risk conditions up to 24 months old, will have access to a new RSV immunization through the recently expanded publicly funded RSV prevention program. Summerville will be offering RSV Immunizations for children born in 2024 as soon as they are available. For more details on the RSV program, including information for older adults, parents and caregivers visit Ontario.ca/rsv.
If you are unsure about which vaccines you need, and when, speak to your health care provider.
If you are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as cough, sneezing, a stuffy or runny nose, sore throat, breathlessness, tight chest or wheezing, and feel that you need to see a physician or nurse practitioner, call your doctor’s office, visit our after-hours clinics for urgent needs (After-Hours Care (summervillefht.com), or if you have a child or youth 6 months to 17 years, you can also visit the Mississauga Paediatric Care Clinic@Summerville (Paediatric Care Clinic (summervillefht.com).
If you have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 and you might be eligible for antiviral treatments, it’s important that you get tested as soon as possible. Visit COVID‑19 vaccines | ontario.ca to find a local testing centre. Your primary care provider may also offer COVID-19 testing.
Antiviral treatments for COVID-19, such as Paxlovid, can prevent serious illness if you take them in the first few days after symptoms start. A physician, nurse practitioner or participating pharmacist may prescribe you antiviral treatment if you:
Find out if antiviral treatment may be right for you. Learn more about testing and treatment here: COVID‑19 testing and treatment | ontario.ca.
Stay safe this respiratory illness season and prevent unnecessary visits to the hospital by staying up to date on vaccinations.
Page updated: October 9, 2024