CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – Sniffles, coughs and an early start to flu season are showing up in several parts of the country. While respiratory illnesses typically ramp up in the fall, particularly in October, health authorities on P.E.I. are already reporting confirmed cases and hospitalizations. Alberta, B.C. and southwestern Ontario are also reporting an earlier-than-usual rise in illnesses, with increases beginning as early as September. Farther west, Yukon’s chief medical officer said lab-confirmed cases of influenza A have been identified since mid-August. “This is the beginning of the beginning of the respiratory virus season,” said infectious diseases specialist Dr. Isaac Bogoch. Nationally, circulation of COVID-19, influenza and RSV has been low, Bogoch said, though there is a slight uptick in the surveillance data. An official Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report update is set for Friday. Vaccines and vulnerability Provinces are beginning to roll out their vaccination programs, with some prioritizing high-risk people first. Bogoch said anyone can develop a severe COVID-19 infection, but older adults are more vulnerable, with hospitalizations disproportionately concentrated in seniors 75 and older. Among those who should be vaccinated, according to recommendations from the National Advisory Committee on Immunization, are people 65 and over, living in long-term care homes, or have underlying health conditions that put them at greater risk. “Everyone else may be vaccinated. Some people will choose to do so. Some people may choose not to,” he said. Influenza vaccines are recommended for everyone six months and older. The flu most significantly impacts the oldest and youngest, Bogoch said, while chronic health conditions can also raise the risk. The same is true for RSV. RSV protection remains a patchwork across Canada. Several provinces, including P.E.I., Ontario and Nova Scotia, cover infants under eight months, certain higher-risk groups and adults 75 and older. What could be ahead Outside a Shoppers Drug Mart in Charlottetown on Wednesday, some were seeking relief. “Actually, I have a little cold right now,” Puga said. “I’m outside the pharmacy because we were looking for some stuff to help with this.” “It’s the change of weather, so it can happen anytime,” said Ransford Adomah. Experts look to the Southern Hemisphere for clues about what the colder months could look like, but Bogoch says respiratory viruses are “predictably unpredictable.” Getting vaccinated, staying home when sick, masking and improving indoor air quality are among the tried-and-true ways to reduce the risk of infection and transmission, he said. “We’ll get through it just like we’ve gone through every (cold season) before it.”
