MEMO: Flu Vaccine Available to Order

TO: Health Care Providers who Administer Flu Vaccine

FROM: Niagara Region Public Health, Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) program

REFERENCE: Flu Vaccine Available to Order

DATE: November 18, 2022

Influenza has increased to above seasonal levels as respiratory virus season is underway earlier than usual in Canada. Recently, influenza activity increased steeply and crossed the seasonal threshold of 5% lab test positivity. Over half of recent influenza detections have been in children and youth.

Please ensure your practice has enough flu vaccine available to immunize all age groups (particularly children, youth and individuals 65+) as soon as possible.

High-Dose Quadrivalent vaccine

Niagara Region Public Health (NRPH) has a limited supply of Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent (QIV-HD) vaccine remaining for distribution to primary care (authorized only for individuals 65 years of age and older). There are no longer doses available to order from the provincial supply.
If you place an order for QIV-HD vaccine, and there is no inventory remaining, NRPH will automatically substitute this order with Standard-Dose Quadrivalent (QIV) vaccine. We no longer have any supply of Fluad® Adjuvanted Trivalent Inactivated (TIV-adj) vaccine available.
- If you do not require a substitute product for QIV-HD vaccine orders, please specify on the order form. If you do not wish to substitute, then the QIV-HD vaccine order will not be filled.
There is no preferential recommendation for any available flu vaccine over another – it is most important for individuals 65 years of age and older to be vaccinated

Reminders

Check expiry dates prior to administration
- Older boxes from last flu season look similar to this year’s inventory
Ensure any expired flu vaccine from last season is returned to Public Health
Flu vaccine can be provided at the same time as, or any time before or after other vaccines (including COVID-19 vaccine)

Thank you for mitigating wastage with your ordering practices.

More information

Ministry of Health’s Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP) website
Seasonal influenza vaccine order form
Call the VPD program at 1-888-505-6074 or 905-688-8248 ext. 7396