Respiratory illness season has arrived earlier than usual in Eastern Ontario but vaccines for RSV, Covid-19, and Influenza are now available to the general public.

“Compared to previous years, the flu has started making its rounds earlier than usual and we expect RSV infections to rise over the next few weeks, while COVID-19 circulates year-round,” said Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, Medical Officer of Health at the Eastern Ontario Health Unit (EOHU). “As always, I believe the best preventive measure people can take to protect themselves throughout the season is to ensure they receive the vaccines they are eligible for.”

Only 34 percent of adults aged 75 years and older received a RSV vaccine in their lifetime, 23 percent of adults in Canada were vaccinated for COVID-19 in the fall of 2025, while only 34 percent of Canadian adults were vaccinated for the 2025-2026 flu season, in order to achieve ‘herd immunity’ those rates should be over 80 percent, according to Health Canada.

Symptoms of the flu include sudden fever or feeling very hot, cough and sore throat, runny or stuffed nose, headache or body aches, chills, feeling more tired than usual, lower appetite, and some people, especially children, might also feel sick to their stomach, vomit, or have diarrhea.

According to the EOHU, the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are available free of charge and recommended for everyone aged 6 months and older. The RSV vaccine is also available for free to eligible individuals.

The vaccines will be available across the five Eastern Counties and Cornwall through healthcare providers, community health centres, and participating pharmacies as of October 26. For children ages 6 months to under 5 years and their household members, the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are also available by appointment at the EOHU.

For more information about the flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines, visit EOHU.ca or call the EOHU at 613-933-1375 or 1-800-267-7120.