11/12/2024
With the colder weather, we are seeing an increase in respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, and we need your help. By working together, we can protect each other from severe illness as we spend more time indoors and closer together. Please follow the tips below for a healthy fall and winter!
Reduce the spread
Stay home if sick. Symptoms of illness may include:
Fever, cough, runny nose, congestion (nasal and/or chest)
Sore throat, hoarse voice
Joint or muscle pain, fatigue
Abdominal pain, vomiting/diarrhea
If you or your child experience respiratory symptoms, they must feel better for at least 24 hours before returning to school, daycare or work. If they experience gastrointestinal symptoms, they must feel better for at least 48 hours before returning to school, daycare and work.
Wash your hands often.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue or using your upper sleeve.
Wear a well-fitted, high-quality mask in crowded indoor settings with poor ventilation, especially if at a higher risk of getting sick.
Increase cleaning and disinfection around your home when people are ill.
If ill with vomiting and/or diarrhea, ensure that your disinfectant is effective against norovirus. Read and follow disinfectant label instructions.
Stay up-to-date with COVID-19, flu and routine vaccines
Different vaccines protect you for different amounts of time. Staying up-to-date with routine vaccinations is a crucial preventive step in protecting your child’s health and reducing the risk of serious illness overall.
COVID-19 and flu vaccines generally protect against severe disease for around six months to one year.
The updated COVID-19 vaccines specifically target the KP.2 variant and will better protect from the variants spreading now.
Everyone six months of age and older is encouraged to book an appointment to receive their COVID-19 and flu vaccines through their local pharmacies. Pharmacies offering COVID-19, and flu vaccines can be found at Ontario.ca/vaccinelocations.
Halton Region Public Health will offer COVID-19 vaccines to children six months to five years of age. Appointments can be booked online.
Where to go for care
Call your doctor or after hours colleagues .
Call Health Connect Ontario at 811 or chat online with a nurse 24/7.
Access an Urgent Care clinic for non-life-threatening illnesses or injuries.
If you or a family member are experiencing a medical emergency or severe injury, visit your nearest emergency department.
More information
Please visit Halton Region and Health Canada’s webpages for updated information on
COVID
FLU
RSV
Whooping cough/ pertussis
https://www.halton.ca/For-Residents/Immunizations-Preventable-Disease/Diseases-Infections/Prevent-Communicable-Diseases-A-Z-Index
Norovirus
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/food-poisoning/norovirus.html
Halton Region Public Health
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