Your HFAM community wants you to be proactive — not reactive — as we head into cooler weather and the traditional time for virus spread.
If you’ve got kids in school, you may have noticed it’s already here: coughs, runny noses, fever and body aches.
In addition to the common cold, the flu usually arrives in late November, early December, RSV is expected to rise in the next few weeks and wastewater data shows COVID-19, which never really went away, is starting to spike again.
We have been updating resources for both healthcare workers and patients – please check back often as we will be adding resources and more information as it becomes available!
Clinician Resources
- Respiratory Illness Season (OCFP)
- Vaccine Update (OCFP)
- Pediatric Acetaminophen Dosing Using Tablets
- Therapeutic alternatives to amoxicillin for common pediatric conditions (Canadian Pharmacists Association)
- Viral Prescription Pad – Adult (RxFiles)
- Viral Prescription Pad – Pediatric (RxFiles)
- Managing fall/winter 2023-2024 in primary care (Centre for Effective Practice)
- RAT kit distribution (City of Hamilton)
- Supports for the Fall/Winter Respiratory Illness Season (Memo from Ontario Health)
Patient Resources
- Stay Healthy Ontario (OCFP): Family doctor tips to help you through the respiratory illness season
- Make sure you are up to date with your vaccines (OCFP)
- Family Doctor Tips on Caring for Children with Respiratory Symptoms (OCFP)
- Family Doctor Tips for Teens and Adults with Colds, the Flu or COVID-19 (OCFP)
Ontario Health Clinical Services – Health811 and Regional Virtual Urgent Care Programs
- For non-urgent health inquiries and questions including those regarding respiratory illnesses, Ontarians can access Health811 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling 811 (TTY: 1-866- 797-0007) or by visiting health811.ontario.ca to chat live online. Through this service, Ontarians can get free health advice from a registered nurse, find local health services including virtual urgent care, check their symptoms online and browse trusted health information.
- Regional virtual urgent care programs offering coverage by nurse practitioners are available for those without a primary care clinician or for those unable to reach their clinician through the following regional locations (please check websites for hours and availability):
- West Region (Adult) – St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton
- West Region (Pediatrics) – London Health Sciences Centre