September 19th Weekly Update

Connecting Ontarians to The Tools They Need to Stay Health This Respiratory Illness Season

Ontario is reminding everyone to stay safe this respiratory illness season and prevent unnecessary visits to the hospital by staying up to date on vaccinations. Ontarians are encouraged to get their flu and COVID-19 shots as soon as they are available to them.

Starting this month, flu shots will be available for the most vulnerable high-risk populations, including hospitalized individuals, hospital staff and residents and staff in long-term care homes, followed by those in retirement homes and other congregate settings. Free flu shots for the general public aged six months and older will be available starting October 30^th at doctor and nurse practitioner offices, some public health units and participating pharmacies. To learn more about the flu shot, visit Ontario.ca/flu.

It is safe and convenient to receive both the COVID-19 and flu shots at the same time, reducing the need for multiple visits to a doctor, nurse practitioner or local pharmacy. The province expects to start receiving doses of Moderna’s updated SPIKEVAX XBB COVID-19 vaccine later in September, which better protects against the new Omicron XBB variant. This vaccine is Health Canada approved for people aged six months of age and older, however initial doses will be prioritized for higher risk populations and more details will be provided once doses are distributed to Ontario. The current COVID-19 vaccines will also continue to be available for Ontarians, as long as it has been a recommended six months since their previous dose.

Ontario is also rolling out its first publicly funded vaccination program of the first Health Canada approved RSV vaccine, Arexvy for those 60 years and older living in long-term care homes, Elder Care Lodges, and for some retirement home residents. New changes will soon allow pharmacists to administer the vaccine, which will allow homes to hire pharmacists to administer the vaccine on site and help vulnerable populations receive their dose more conveniently without leaving their home.

Ontario continues to provide convenient access to antivirals through physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists, with virtual care options available through Health 811. The Ontario government is also working on changes that will allow pharmacists to prescribe the flu antiviral, Tamiflu, making it faster and easier for people to get timely care. Individuals can also continue to access rapid antigen tests through their local Public Health Units. As of September, health care providers across the province can order rapid antigen tests to share with patients free of charge. Using the PCR testing locator, eligible individuals can also access COVID-19 molecular (PCR) testing at pharmacies and assessment centres.

“Our government is taking action to tackle a decade long national French teacher shortage by investing in our plan to further recruit and retain highly-qualified French-language educators in Ontario,” said Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education. “Together by adding an additional 110 teacher education spaces in our postsecondary schools and reducing certification timelines by 50 per cent for internally trained educators, we are helping to secure new educators and create new pathways to get more qualified teachers supporting French-language education across Ontario.”

This investment enhances Ontario’s four-year French Teacher Recruitment and Retention Strategy launched in June 2021. The multi-pronged strategy will help recruit, train and retain French-language and French as a Second Language teachers in both the French-language and English-language school systems.

This initiative is part of the Canada-Ontario Agreement on Minority-Language Education and Second Official Language Instruction 2020-21 to 2022-23 and the Canada–Ontario Agreement on the Establishment of the Université de l’Ontario Français 2019–20 to 2026–27. Funding in these agreements allows for federal and provincial supports to enhance and establish French-language programs.

The Mobile Live Fire Training Units will help the Ontario Fire College deliver additional high-quality, hands-on training directly to fire services to help firefighters prepare for real life scenarios. These modern mobile units can be transported right to a local fire station and simulate real situations. During mobile unit training, firefighters experience real flames, extreme heat, high humidity, severely restricted visibility, and thick smoke.

“Investing in firefighter training and safety in the North is critical to safeguarding our communities,” said Ontario Fire Marshal Jon Pegg. “By equipping firefighters with the skills and training they need, we will fortify the resilience of northern Ontario, ensuring the safety and well-being of the people who call this region home.”

Funding for the new fire trucks and firefighting equipment will be delivered through the Northern Fire Protection Program which provides assistance and support for fire protection services in 47 communities that rely on more than 800 volunteer firefighters.