Flu vaccines, COVID-19 boosters available ahead of B.C. flu season

The B.C. government is rolling out free flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines ahead of what is expected to be a busy respiratory illness season.

The province launched it’s COVID-19 fall booster campaign in early September, and will be running its annual influenza vaccine program in October.

It’s expected that B.C. will see a surge of both COVID-19 and influenza cases this fall. The past two flu seasons had low rates of the illness linked to public health restrictions that reduced travel and socialization.

“We’ve had very little, almost no influenza for the last couple years, which means that most of us — and there’s a whole cohort of young people who have never been exposed to influenza — and if we look at what happened in the southern hemisphere just this past influenza season for them, they had a surge of COVID, but they also had a surge of influenza earlier on in the season then their normal influenza season,” said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.’s provincial health officer, during a provincial COVID-19 forecast Wednesday, Sept. 28.

“So if we look at that as a possibility of what might happen here, our influenza season generally starts to peak in December/January and may lead into March, then go down after that. So if we see a similar pattern to what we saw in the southern hemisphere, we might be seeing influenza start to surge in November/December as well,” said Henry.

(Image credit: Province of B.C.)

In order to avoid surges of the two viruses at the same time, the province is encouraging people to take steps to protect themselves by getting up to date with their vaccinations.

Invitations for fall COVID-19 booster doses are being sent to residents who had their last vaccine at least six months ago. Distribution is being prioritized based on age and risk factors for severe outcomes.

All British Columbians over the age of 12 who are considered high risk will be able to access the new combination bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.

Parents and guardians with children age five to 17 who are eligible for a COVID-19 booster will receive invitations to book a shot.

Starting the week of Oct. 3, people in long-term care and assisted-living facilities, along with others considered high risk, will be able to get their flu shots.

The flu vaccines will become available to the general public through participating pharmacies and health authority clinics the week of Oct. 11, following the long weekend.

Additionally, British Columbians aged 65 and older will be able to get a free, enhanced flu vaccine for the first time this year.

The enhanced shot provides better protection than the standard dose and stimulates stronger immune responses.

More than 1.8-million doses of flu vaccines, including over 660,000 enhanced doses, will be distributed across B.C. for the upcoming season.

Henry also noted that immunity from booster doses start to wain around the six-month mark, and warns that the reduced immunity is expected to lead to increased cased of COVID-19 in November and December.

“That’s one of the thing we will be watching very carefully and looking at, and that would be a worst case scenario: that we start to see a surge that has impacts on hospitalizations and severe illnesses in November/December.”

(Image credit: Province of B.C.)

The province is also preparing the health care system in advance of the expected surge in respiratory illnesses.

As of Sept. 28, there were over 350 British Columbians in hospital with COVID-19 infections, and the province is preparing for upwards of 700 hospitalizations at its peak, as well as over 1,000 influenza cases leading to hospitalization across B.C., with the addition of 1,500 new beds.

“Our bed management strategies are being refined to manage hospital capacity,” said Health Minister Adrian Dix, adding work is also underway to prepare plans that ensure any influx of patients does not affect surgery rates.

Henry also advises people to take precautions on their own to reduce the risk of spreading illness this fall and winter. That includes wearing masks in public, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, and not going out when ill.

People can get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the flu at the same time.

The province continues to monitor COVID-19 cases throughout the province, and will be expanding the wastewater testing process to communities throughout B.C., including Kelowna and Kamloops, in early October.