Ottawa Public Health launching flu shot clinics in effort to keep hospitalizations down

Ottawa Public Health (OPH) is getting set to open six flu shot clinics, as it's urging people to get their shot to help reduce the number of local hospitalizations from influenza.

The health unit says the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic makes the flu vaccine program more critical than ever. Influenza vaccination rates typically hover around 30 per cent per year, but in the 2020-2021 influenza season, OPH hopes 70 per cent will roll up their sleeves.

Marie-Claude Turcotte, a program manager with the health unit, says although OPH is only opening six clinics in the city, its ready if demand dictates more locations. 

“We do have the capacity for about up to 1,500 people a day to book an appointment in our clinics,” says Turcotte. “We do have a contingency plan that would enable us to increase our capacity.”

Turcotte adds that the provincial government has said it is acquiring 5.1-million flu vaccine doses this year — 700,000 more than usual. 

This year, the public health flu shot clinics will be appointment-only, and will not allow walk-ins, to reduce the number of people in the clinic at one time and maintain physical distancing.

But residents can also get their shots at local pharmacies or at their family doctors' offices, which will have their own separate supplies of the vaccine.

“It's always better to get it from your primary care — they have your health file,” Turcotte says. “But, if people are not able to get it at their family physician, absolutely they can come to our clinics.”

OPH is now booking appointments, with flu clinics set to open on Thursday, October 29.