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Toronto: Residents will have plenty of opportunities to get their flu shot over the next month, starting today with a free clinic at the Toronto Reference Library.
The clinic, taking place between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., is one of five free flu vaccine clinics that will be offered by Toronto Public Health between today and Nov. 17.
According to Toronto Public Health, there have been 24 lab-confirmed cases of influenza so far this year, which is roughly in line with past years.
“For most people they will recover from the flu within a week to 10 days on their own but unfortunately this isn’t the case for everyone. Every year an average of 12,200 Canadians are hospitalized and 3,500 Canadians die from the flu and complications related to influenza,” Dr. Eileen de Villa, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health, told reporters at a news conference on Friday. “The flu can make pre-existing medical conditions significantly worse and can even develop into more serious problems.”
She said that patients who contract the flu can spread it to another person for a period of three to five days after they first show symptoms.
For that reason she said it is imperative that Torontonians get a flu shot and do their part to prevent the spread of the virus.
“As a doctor I have seen the severe impact that the flu can have on people particularly our most vulnerable population,” she said.
