As COVID-19 testing continues and numbers of positive cases are on the increase. doctors are urging that people who don’t exhibit symptom don’t line up for tests.
At the same time, flu season is arriving with symptoms similar to COVID. Doctors are concerned that if flu spreads, testing and hospitals will become overloaded.
Paediatricians in Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, have launched an online petition requesting more financial and resource help in providing flu vaccinations. They say without large scale vaccination, the province (and Canada0 could face a so-calle “twindemic” of high numbers of influenza and COVID-19 cases.
Typically flu shots are provided at doctor’s offices and health clinics, along with scattered flu clinics. With the COVID restrictions limiting the number of patients in waiting rooms and seeing patients by appointment only, the number of vaccinations which can physically be given is limited by time especially as doctors have other patients and problems to deal with. Added to the equation is the added time needed to disinfect exam rooms after each visit. They’re concerned that they will be unable to provide even the normal number of vaccinations this year due to the constraints imposed by the coronavirus.
Huge lineups at COVID test centres are common across Canada, this one in London Ontario Sep 13. With testing facilities already stretched, Ontario paediatricians are concerned about what will happen when flu cases start to increase this fall. (Kate Dubinski/CBC News)
The paediatricians are concerned that besides the fact that children can get very ill from the influenze virus, they could also spread it to the more vulnerable including the elderly, already at high risk from COVID.
The other concern is that someone fighting a flu infection could become more vulnerable to an additional COVID infection with as yet unknown, but potentially very serious, consequences.
Ontario paediatricians suggest that to avoid a ‘twindemic’ special flu vaccination centres be arranged such as this walk in COVID testing clinic seen in Montreal in March, (Ivanoh Demers/Radio-Canada)
Statistics Canada notes that influenza and pneumonia are one of the top 10 leading causes of death in Canada, averaging between 6,500 and 8,500 deaths annually. There have been over 9,000 Covid deaths so far this year in Canada, the majority being elderly.
The Ontario paediatricians are asking for special large scale drive through community clinics or in large venues enabling physical distancing, both somewhat akin to the emergency COVID testing centres and that they be organised across the province. This would result in large scale administration of the flu vaccine. The vaccine should become available in October.
Such clinics would require medical staff, portable refrigerators to keep the vaccines at proper temperature and a number of other logistics requirements not the least of which are large venues or large outdoor pavillions or marquee like shelters.
However, these are in short supply already in use for COVID testing needs.
While pharmacists in Ontario have been given authority to administer flu shots which could ease some of the burden, they are not allowed to do so for children under age five, considered a high risk group.
The Ontario Medical Association has been in talks with the provincial government on planning for support, but the head of the OMA< Dr Samantha Hill says that while all officials seem to realize the need and importance, she is not optimistic logicial support will be available in time.
additional information-sources
- CBC: N. Ireland: Sep 2/20: Paediatricians issue urgent call for help to get flu shots to more people this fall
- Influenza Protection and Control Canada (IPAC): information of flu viruses and pandemics
- CBC: N Goodwin: Sep 16/20: People who don’t need COVID-19 testing clogging system
- Globe and Mail: C Rutty: Sep 15/20: Special: Canada’s vaccine legacy: Influenza, polio, and COVID-19
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