The updates on flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses for the week of Dec. 22

With Canada’s colder weather comes respiratory virus season, with flus and RSV circulating alongside the COVID-19 virus that remains with us. While Canadians learned a lot about how to protect themselves from illness over the course of the pandemic, new information released by health care practitioners can help inform decisions, from availability of flu shots to any changes in COVID protocols.

We’ll be publishing an update on respiratory virus season each week. Looking for more information on the topic that you don’t see here? Email audience@globeandmail.com to see if we can help you.

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The latest news

• Canadian hospitals, especially those on the Prairies, are swamped with patients suffering from a stew of respiratory viruses, The Globe’s Carly Weeks reported this week. The scenes inside hospitals are reminiscent of seasons before the pandemic, when influenza, RSV and other viruses spread with abandon at holiday parties and family get-togethers. Now COVID has been added to the mix, leading doctors and hospital leaders to worry that patients will face long waits in emergency rooms if they need care over the holidays.
• COVID levels continue to vary by province, with Ontario and Quebec reporting high levels of spread, while the other jurisdictions report low or moderate COVID activity to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC.) The World Health Organization, meanwhile, classified the JN.1 sublineage of Omicron a “variant of interest” on Tuesday. Experts say the latest Omicron offshoot doesn’t seem likely to cause more severe disease than other circulating variants, but it does appear to have a transmission advantage. In Canada, JN.1 went from accounting for 1 per cent of lab-confirmed cases in late to October to an estimated 27 per cent the week of Dec. 10.
• Influenza levels are increasing, but are still within expected levels for this time of year, according to PHAC’s respiratory virus report for the week ending Dec. 16. Labs in PHAC’s surveillance network found that 15.7 per cent of tests for flu came back positive that week. (The agency’s weekly FluWatch report, which provides more detailed information, is on hiatus until the new year.)

Flu shots

Flu shot clinics and programs have ramped up across the country, with appointments available for anyone six months and older. Find out about clinics and availability for each of the provinces and territories here:

Newfoundland; Prince Edward Island; Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; Saskatchewan; Alberta; British Columbia; Yukon; Northwest Territories; Nunavut

COVID boosters

The three authorized vaccines, manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Novavax, protect against the XBB.1.5 subvariant of COVID-19 and should provide good protection against the related EG.5 family and similar offshoots of Omicron. The reformulated mRNA shots from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are approved for anyone six months and older. Novavax’s shot is approved for those 12 and up.

COVID-19 vaccine information for the provinces and territories can be found here:

Newfoundland; Prince Edward Island; Nova Scotia; New Brunswick; Quebec; Ontario; Manitoba; Saskatchewan; Alberta; British Columbia; Yukon; Northwest Territories; Nunavut

Flu outlook in Canada

PHAC’s FluWatch report is on hiatus over the holidays. But during the week that ended Dec. 9 – the last for which the agency published national data – there were 243 hospital admissions linked to the flu, 35 ICU admissions and fewer than five deaths. The vast majority of flu cases in Canada are influenza A, and most of those are the H1N1 subtype.

From Aug. 27 to Dec. 9, PHAC reports that there have been 152 ICU admissions and 38 deaths linked to the flu in Canada. Adults 65 and older and children under five accounted for the highest cumulative hospitalization rates in Canada, at 36 per 100,000 and 31 per 100,000, respectively.

Hospitalizations for COVID

The Public Health Agency of Canada reports that for the week ending Dec. 19, there was a slight decrease in the number of beds occupied by patients with COVID-19, dropping to 4,682 from 4,687. The number of COVID-19 patients in the intensive care unit was nearly stable, rising to 160 from 159 the previous week.

Current health guidance for COVID

Symptoms of COVID-19 can vary, but generally include sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, new or worsening cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, feeling feverish, chills, fatigue or weakness, muscle or body aches, new loss of smell or taste, headache, abdominal pain and diarrhea. According to Health Canada, you may start experiencing symptoms anywhere from one to 14 days after exposure. Typically, symptoms appear between three to seven days after exposure.

Health Canada advises following the testing guidelines provided by your local public health authority if you have symptoms or have been exposed to a person with COVID-19. If you test positive, immediately isolate yourself from others, including those in your household, and follow the advice of your local public health authority on isolation requirements.

How to protect yourself and your loved ones from respiratory viruses

Respiratory viruses are spread from person to person or through contact with contaminated surfaces, so it’s important to protect against both forms of transmission. Health Canada recommends wearing a medical mask or respirator, washing your hands regularly or using hand sanitizer, covering your coughs and sneezes, and cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces and objects. If you feel sick, stay home and limit contact with others.