Free flu and Covid shot family clinics on Vancouver Island

Family flu and Covid vaccine clinics for families with children under 12 are running on Vancouver Island to help protect people ahead of the holiday season. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Health.

Listen to CHLY’s full report below:

Island Health is ramping up its Covid and Influenza vaccine campaign with free walk-in clinics for children between six months and 11 years of age.

Dr. Charuka Maheswaran, a public health resident physican at Island Health, says that it is especially important that children get their flu shot this year.

“Last year, we saw more children hospitalized with influenza than usual and we don't want that again this year,” she said.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control’s most recent report, infulenza is increasing both in wastewater monitoring and testing. RSV is also increasing with high test positivity among children.

In last year’s flu season 1792 children in Canada were hospitalized with influenza, 283 were admitted to intensive care and 10 died, according to a report published by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Dr. Maheswaran says that in addition to getting your flu and Covid shot, it’s important to use some common sense guidelines if you are feeling unwell as families gather for the holiday season.

“You can also wear masks, cough into your elbow, all the things that we've been telling people over the years about how to stop the spread of infection,” she said. “But the main thing is to stay home if you're sick and get better and then see your relatives when you can.”

The walk-in clinic at the Nanaimo North Town Centre runs Tuesday to Saturady until December 16 from 9 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.

The Parksville Family Place Public Health Unit will hold a clinic on Monday Dec. 11th from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Thursday Dec 14th between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The Cumberland Health Centre’s clinic runs Monday to Friday until December 15 from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. & 1 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.

For a full list of family clinics for flu and Covid shots on Vancouver Island click here.

According to Island Health, 23.7 per cent of children under 12 on Vancouver Island have received their influenza vaccination compared to 17.2 per cent provincewide

Covid vaccine coverage for children aged 4 and under on Vancouver Island is 20.2 per cent and 17.8 percent for children between 5 and 11 years of age, according to the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Funding Note: This story was produced with funding support from the Local Journalism Initiative, administered by the Community Radio Fund of Canada.