Here’s how flu season is impacting kids across Canada

The number of children sick with the flu is soaring across the country. Allison Bamford on the latest influenza outlook.

As the cold and flu season settles in across Canada, more children are beginning to fall sick.

Data released from Saskatchewan this week shows respiratory illnesses are on the rise in the province, showing an increase in influenza, COVID-19 and RSV test positivity.

Almost half of Saskatchewan’s flu cases reported in the last week of November were in patients under the age of 20.

The bi-weekly government report also shows more students are missing class, with school absenteeism reaching 12.2 per cent last week, up from 10.7 per cent the week before.

“The coverage for children getting the flu vaccine is relatively low, and always when you have less people protected, there is more risk the virus will be transmitted from one person to another,” said Dr. Simon Kapaj, a medical health officer with the Saskatchewan Health Authority.

“We expect this to put some pressures on the health care system and also in the community, as well as schools.”

Across the country, influenza A is the most common virus children are contracting this cold and flu season. The latest data shows an eight per cent spike in positive cases from mid to late November.

Health officials say Ontario and Quebec have seen an early start to the influenza season. Those provinces are already dealing with a flood of flu cases.

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) says it’s leading to a “significant increase” in the number of kids seeking treatment in the emergency department.

Last month, the Ottawa hospital saw eight times more children test positive for the flu compared to November 2024, which resulted in twice as many hospitalizations for the virus.

CHEO says most kids seeking care hadn’t received the seasonal influenza vaccine.

Community pharmacists in Calgary say they are noticing a similar trend.

“What we’ve been seeing is less children coming in for immunizations this year,” said The Medicine Shoppe Crowfoot owner Randy Howden, adding uptake in general is down at his pharmacy.

“I’m not sure what’s going on if it’s vaccine fatigue still left over from COVID, or if it’s a bit of miscommunication or misunderstanding?”

Rising respiratory infections are also keeping kids in Alberta out of the classroom. Eight schools in the Calgary Catholic School District have reported absence rates of 10 per cent or higher.

Health officials are once again asking families to get vaccinated ahead of holiday gatherings and travel when respiratory viruses tend to ramp up.

“This is the worst part of the year for pediatrics,” said Dr. Sam Wong, president of Alberta Medical Association’s pediatrics section. “We see a huge influx in pediatric patients.”

In B.C., the rate of test positivity for influenza has “skyrocketed” in the last two weeks, according to Dr. Srinivas Murthy.

“We’re not necessarily seeing it surge substantively across our hospitals,” he said. “It doesn’t mean that’s not going to happen by tomorrow or the next day.”

Murthy, a clinical associate professor at the University of British Columbia, says those older than 65 and younger children have been the first to see high rates of infection in the province.

“Influenza does spread very aggressively across children, and this speaks to the importance of primary prevention,” he said.

“Getting your flu vaccine is the best form of primary prevention.”

This year’s vaccine appears to be a potential mismatch with the mutated H3N2 strain of influenza, which is the predominant strain in circulation right now. However, doctors say the seasonal flu vaccine is still effective in protecting against severe infection.

“Even if it may not prevent you from getting the flu, it may prevent you from getting hospitalized with the flu,” Murthy said.

While health officials say the vaccine is the first source of prevention, Canadians should also stick to what they know.

Doctors recommend keeping your distance from those who are sick, practicing good hand hygiene, and if you’re feeling unwell, stay home from work or school.