Flu Vaccination
Posted: 2021-11-29
Getting your annual flu vaccine is an important way to help protect yourself, your family and high-risk groups in your community against seasonal flu. It will also help reduce the burden on Canada’s health care system during this unprecedented time.
This year, Family First will not be providing flu shots at the Orleans Library as we did last year. Also, due to social distancing requirements, we are unable to vaccinate our general patient population in our clinic. Ottawa Public Health has given us a limited supply of flu vaccines to be able to vaccinate people at high risk of influenza-related complications or hospitalizations. High risk, as defined by Public Health, includes:
- pregnant women;
- adults 65 years of age and older;
- people who are residents of nursing homes or other chronic care facilities;
- children 6 to 59 months of age;
- indigenous peoples; or
- adults or children 6 months of age or older with any of the following chronic health conditions:
- cardiac or pulmonary disorders;
- diabetes or other metabolic disease;
- cancer;
- conditions or medications that compromise the immune system;
- renal disease
- anemia or hemoglobinopathy;
- neurologic or neurodevelopment conditions;
- morbid obesity (body mass index ≥ 40; or
- children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years of age) undergoing treatment with acetylsalicylic acid for long periods.
If you fall into this category, you may contact our clinic to book an appointment for your flu vaccine. Please keep in mind that we have a limited vaccine supply and while we are trying to get back to providing nursing support to all of our patients, as in most industries, we are facing staffing shortages. This means that there may be a delay in getting an appointment for your flu shot.
Where Else Can I Get My Flu Shot?
Ottawa Public Health will have four community clinics for flu vaccines, for all eligible Ottawa residents. Eligible Ottawa residents may book an appointment if they meet one of the following criteria:
- people 6 months to 2 years of age and their household members; or
- those facing barriers to getting the flu vaccine such as:
- newcomers to Canada;
- people without an Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card; or
- people without a primary care provider (doctor or nurse) who have had difficulty accessing the vaccine at a pharmacy.
If you meet any of the above criteria, you can book an appointment by visiting the Ottawa Public Health Flu Immunization Online Booking System(opens in new tab) and completing the vaccine consent form.
People aged two years old and older may receive their flu shot at a participating pharmacy. Please note that the pharmacy inside the Real Canadian Superstore, outside of our clinic, is offering the flu vaccine.
We recognize that you may have already received your flu shot, either at a pharmacy or an Ottawa Public Health Community Clinic. If you have already received your flu shot, please let us know so we can update your file and ensure we have the most up to date information in your record.
For more information on the flu vaccine, how to book an appointment at an Ottawa Public Health community clinic or to see a list of participating pharmacies, please visit the Ottawa Public Health website(opens in new tab).
Again, we really appreciate the support we’ve received from our patients over these difficult months. It’s been our honor and privilege to continue to care for you and your families.