Get your flu shot, Toronto's top doctor urges as influenza rates rise ahead of holiday season

Toronto's top doctor said influenza test positivity rates have gone from 8.1 per cent to 10.5 per cent over the last week, prompting her to make a fresh call Wednesday for more people to get vaccinated.

Dr. Eileen de Villa said any test positivity rate over five per cent indicates there's community spread of influenza and that the situation appears to be worsening. Historically, influenza in a region has peaked within five weeks of surpassing the five per cent mark, said Toronto Public Health (TPH), in a news release Wednesday. 

At this rate, de Villa, the City of Toronto's Medical Officer of Health, said this flu season could peak in December as families gather for the holidays. 

"This means Toronto will likely enter a peak influenza infection period as people gather for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year celebrations," said TPH in its statement.

It takes a couple of weeks before the flu vaccine is fully effective, said de Villa in an interview with CBC News.

"Now is the time to get the flu vaccine and get that protective benefit at least around the holiday season," she added.

The call for more vaccinations comes as a combination of the flu, respiratory syncytial virus (more commonly known as RSV) and COVID-19 continue to strain Ontario hospitals. A surge in RSV among children is also putting pressure on pediatric hospitals.

The city is seeing "heightened levels of respiratory illness" earlier in the year than would normally be the case, said de Villa earlier this month.

The Public Health Agency of Canada says flu spreads from person to person by droplets produced by coughing, sneezing or talking. People may also get the flu by touching a surface or object that has the flu virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose or eyes. 

The City of Toronto launched its 2022-2023 flu vaccination campaign earlier this month and is available for people six months of age and older. Flu shots are available by appointment or on a walk-in basis and a health card is not required.

Torontonians can get vaccinated at any of the six city-run immunization clinics. People aged 50 and up can also get vaccinated at select Shopper's Drug Mart or Rexall pharmacies.