Health Unit warns of early cold and flu season, as COVID case load rises again

Jeff Green | Oct 12, 2022

At a media briefing on Friday, October 7, Dr. Piotr Oglaza of Kingston Frontenac Lennox and Addington Public Health (KFLAPH) said that the upper respiratory pathogens that are associated cold and flu season, rhinovirus and enterovirus, have “reached levels normally seen in early December.”

He added that fluctuations in the seasonal pattern of the season are not uncommon, pointing out that least year the peak came in the spring.

At the same time, the level of COVID-19 cases has risen to “levels that are comparable to those seen during the Delta and Omicron waves from early December of last year”.

COVID case levels are updated only weekly on the KFLAPH dashboard [coincidentally just after the Frontenac News goes to press on Tuesday afternoons] but a look at the updates over the month of September into October show the numbers of people in hospital and requiring the intensive care unit have been on a slow but steady rise. The positive testing rate, for those eligible for testing, fluctuated during that time, but is peaking again.

As of October 4, there were 20 individuals in hospital with COVID, 5 of whom were receiving intensive care. There was a 20.2% positive testing rate. And the number of deaths due to COVID in KFL&A had risen to 84. The waste water data as of last week was inconsistent, however.*

Dr. Oglaza said that the recommendation from KFLAPH was for people to seek out any vaccine dose, for both the COVID and Flu shots, that they are eligible for.

He said that the vaccination rate in KFL&A is among the highest in the province, although the vaccination statistics show a severe drop off in 3rd and 4th dose uptake in the region as compared to the 1st and 2nd dose uptake.

While 90% of the population over 5 have received 2 doses of vaccine, the number drops to 67.8% (among those over 12) for third doses, and 29% (among those over 18) for fourth doses.

DR. Oglaza that one of the factors that is relevant to the uptake rate of 3rd and 4th doses is the prevalence of the COVID virus in the community.

“The provincial advice is for individuals to wait 6 months after contracting COVID before seeking a vaccine, although that can be shortened to as low as three months for those who are in a vulnerable group,” he said. “With high infection rates, particularly in the younger population, many are looking at the early winter before they will be ready for their next dose.”

Anyone who develops cold and flu symptoms is recommended to stay home until symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours and they do not have a fever, and to wear a mask when out in public for a ten-day period after the symptoms started or they had a positive test result.

The flu vaccine will be available in October for those in long term care or in vulnerable groups, and in November for the general population.

(*Wastewater monitoring for COVID-19 at three treatment plants in the KFL&A region showed inconsistent results as of October 4. The concentration at the Amherstview plant in Loyalist township showed levels had been on the rise for a month, reaching the highest level since early May on October 4.

The plant in Kingston west also showed levels dipping in early September, then rising later in the month, into October. The October 4 level was the as the level was the highest since September 4.

The plant in Kingston east, however, showed a rise in early September, followed by a drop in the latter part of the month into October.)