The coughing, the sneezing, the runny noses.
These are the all-too-familiar sounds and sights of the local pharmacy at this time of the year. But Rexall pharmacist Linda Yang says that, with the proper precautions, you can improve your chances of avoiding the respiratory illnesses that are circulating in Simcoe County right now.
“In this particular area, it hasn’t been too bad,” she said while sitting recently near the prescription drop-off desk at her Stroud pharmacy.
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit’s latest weekly respiratory virus update, published on Dec. 27, notes there were 36 confirmed cases of influenza reported in the Simcoe-Muskoka region between Dec. 17 and 23, down from 41 the week prior. Meanwhile, 160 COVID-19 cases were found last week, a decrease from the 198 confirmed between Dec. 10 and 16.
Since Sept. 1, 2,283 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the region. A total of 131 flu cases, 92 per cent of which were strain A, were confirmed during that time.
The health unit says its COVID-19 community risk level for infection and severe illness in Simcoe-Muskoka currently sits at “high.” This document shows wastewater signals are at a “very high” transmission rate, there’s a rolling average of 25 new cases being reported per day right now and the weekly test positivity rate is 18.6 per cent. Five COVID-19 outbreaks were declared in institutional settings between Dec. 17 and 23, and 35 people were in hospital with the virus on Dec. 21.
There have been 150 lab-confirmed institutional respiratory outbreaks in the region since the beginning of September — 112 specifically linked to COVID-19, eight connected to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and two traced back to the flu. The rest are due to either some combination of those viruses or an “other or unknown” pathogen.
Respiratory syndromes accounted for 13.7 per cent of the nearly 1,100 visits to emergency departments at six regional hospitals last week.
However, there are some timeless tips to stay safe and reduce the risk of infection at this time of the year, the health unit said in a recent update on its website. Among those are many of the same recommendations given during pandemic years past — stay home if you’re unwell, clean your hands often, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and consider wearing a well-fitted mask in indoor settings, especially around anyone at higher risk for severe infection.
And, of course, get vaccinated.
“As we gather with friends and family over the holidays it is important to use multiple layers of protection to reduce the risk of becoming ill and protect those closest to us,” the health unit says. “This is especially important for ... children under five years of age as well as older adults and those with underlying medical conditions.”
Many Rexall pharmacies offer walk-in appointments for COVID-19 and flu shots, and those vaccines can be administered at the same time, Yang said.
“It’s been non-stop (flu vaccinations),” she said. “Right now, because so many people have been getting their shots, flu is pretty controlled right now. There could be a lot of other respiratory illnesses going — especially in the last three weeks, there’s been something going around. It could be COVID. I’m not going to say you have to wear your mask; as long as you’re prepared and have your vaccines, you’re good to go.”
The COVID-19 immunization campaign needs all the promotion it can get. Since Sept. 17, more than 96,500 doses of the vaccine have been administered in Simcoe-Muskoka, with only 14.8 per cent of the region’s population having received a shot during that time.
But if you get sick, know that pharmacies across Ontario can prescribe Paxlovid for COVID-19 and they are also now offering oseltamivir (Tamiflu), an antiviral medication, to residents at least one year old with mild, early-stage influenza A or B. This move is pivotal in managing the impact of flu viruses during the colder months, especially on vulnerable populations like those who are immunocompromised or pregnant, or anyone living with diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular diseases.
And pharmacists are now authorized to prescribe Tamiflu, thereby easing the strain on hospitals and the broader healthcare system.
“You can only call into the pharmacy for it if your symptoms started within two days; by Day 2, you should be calling in to get that prescription,” Yang said. “That’s very important. If you take it after that, it might not work as well.”
Anyone with a fever of more than 40.5 degrees Celsius, or who is experiencing lethargy or other severe symptoms, likely won’t qualify for the drug and should instead see a doctor, she said.
Tamiflu works similarly to Paxlovid by helping to relieve virus symptoms, Yang said.
“You stop the virus in its tracks,” she said, “kind of like how you take antibiotics for infections. It’s great that Ontario’s stepping up and letting pharmacists prescribe this. (But) we don’t want to be giving people medications when it’s too late — we want people to get the flu shot so they don’t feel sick in the first place.”
For a full list of up-to-date health unit recommendations, visit simcoemuskokahealth.org.
To find a local Rexall pharmacy, or for more details on COVID-19 and flu vaccinations or the administration of antivirals, visit rexall.ca.
