By Haldimand Press Staff
HALDIMAND—Haldimand Norfolk Health Unit (HNHU) has announced a significant increase in flu cases this year, marking 141 lab-confirmed cases in Haldimand and Norfolk between October 11 and November 29 – compared to just a single case during the same period of the 2019/20 flu season.
With cases of the flu, RSV, and COVID all continuing to circulate in large numbers locally, HNHU is urging residents to consider getting vaccinated against the flu, and to keep up to date on COVID vaccine boosters.
Meanwhile, West Haldimand General Hospital (WHGH) announced December 5 that the COVID-19 Assessment Centre at the hospital would be expanding “its services to allow assessments of both adult and pediatric patients for influenza-like illness (ILI)” as of December 7 due to “the ongoing COVID-19 burden, and an unusually high seasonal surge in viral illnesses. All in all, this is resulting in significant strain on the health system, particularly emergency departments and creating staffing challenges across all sectors.”
“WHGH is committed to providing timely and high-quality access to healthcare professionals through the COVID, Cough, Flu Care Clinic (CCFCC),” added AnneMarie VanSickle, Clinical Director of the WHGH Emergency Department and CCFCC. “The CCFCC will relieve pressures in Haldimand emergency departments, and we are optimistic this will decrease the length of time people wait.”
CCFCC will be open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Sunday to Friday. Patients are required to book an appointment online at bit.ly/3OEvWIp or by calling 905-768-3311 ext. 1113. A health card is required when booking.
WHGH noted it is “working collaboratively with Haldimand War Memorial Hospital (HWMH), which has also recently transitioned to the COVID Cold Flu Care Clinic.” HWMH’s clinic operates Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 1 to 5 p.m. by appointment only, available by calling 905-774-7431 ext. 1000.
“As always, we will continue to monitor demand and expand where necessary and possible,” continued the WHGH release. “Please note that local primary care providers should continue to be the first option, where possible, for patients seeking assessments for COVID-19 and Influenza-like Illness.”
Influenza is a virus that can affect the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs. Some people who get the flu may not have symptoms or only a mild illness. For other people, the flu can cause serious illness, especially in children and the elderly.
The flu spreads by droplets coming from the coughs or sneezes of someone who is sick with the flu. The flu can also spread if someone touches surfaces where these droplets have landed and then they touch their mouth, nose, or eyes.
“The hospital system in Ontario is currently overwhelmed with individuals seeking care for influenza and other respiratory viruses,” said Dr. Matthew Strauss, Acting Medical Officer of Health for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit. “There is strong evidence that influenza vaccination can prevent trips to the ER for flu. I strongly recommend that you get your flu shot ASAP on this basis, particularly if you are in a high-risk group.”
The flu shot is now available through local pharmacies or healthcare providers. Children six months to two years can only get their flu shot from a doctor or nurse practitioner.
On the COVID front, HNHU’s vaccine team reports 56,188 residents (49.2% of the population) have received three doses of COVID vaccine, while 26,374 (23.1%) received fourth dose boosters, with no data available on fifth boosters.
“The HNHU encourages all eligible individuals to receive their booster dose of a COVID-19 bivalent vaccine as soon as possible. There have been 16,893 bivalent doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered since September 12, 2022, when bivalents became available,” said the vaccine team in a statement to The Press.
Since that date, 96% of all doses administered locally have been of the bivalent variety, which is HNHU’s recommended vaccine for most people, offering protection against the most common variants of COVID-19 locally: Omicron BA 1 and Omicron BA 4/BA 5.
Presently, the recommended time between COVID vaccine boosters is six months, or three months in scenarios where an individual has high-risk medical conditions which could be complicated by COVID.
While COVID may be fading in the eyes of the general public, desperate to put the pandemic behind them, statistics show it remains present in the community. For the week ending November 30, there were 53 new cases recorded. Hospital occupancy remains a major concern, with HNHU reporting occupancy rates at 105.3% and ICU occupancy rates at 87.5% for the week ending November 30. There are four current COVID outbreaks in the community.
“The best advice to minimizing the spread of the virus as much as possible is to encourage individuals to get up to date with their vaccines for the respiratory season as soon as possible,” continued Strauss. “Likewise, individuals should continue to practise hand hygiene by washing them frequently, practise respiratory etiquette, and most of all if you are sick, please stay home. This is for the health of all individuals that may be attending the gathering.”
With hospital resources being stretched, WHGH encourages residents to consider alternative options to the emergency department for less urgent needs, including family doctors, Health Connect Ontario to speak with a registered nurse 24/7 via phone or web chat, an urgent care centre, or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. Additionally, prescription refills can be discussed with your local pharmacist.
“We continue to work with our local partners to address recent challenges regarding patient volumes as best we can. In the meantime, patients and families attending our Emergency Department should continue to anticipate longer than normal wait times for non-emergency cases,” said the WHGH release. “Our staff and physicians are working extremely hard to manage the health and safety of patients with limited resources, so please be kind and understanding.”
Protect yourself
- Get vaccinated against the flu each fall.
- Stay home and away from others if you feel sick.
- Improve ventilation in indoor and shared spaces.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water. Use hand sanitizer if soap and water aren’t available.
- Wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects.
At risk individuals
- Babies and children under five years of age.
- People 65 years old and older.
- People who are pregnant.
- People with underlying health conditions.
- Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities.
