Cold and flu season is upon us, and the Renfrew County and District Health Unit wants local families to be prepared.
The RCDHU is encouraging parents and caregivers to take advantage of Ontario’s publicly funded Infant RSV Prevention program to protect their children against respiratory syncytial virus, which Medical Officer of Health Dr. Jason Morgenstern says can cause serious harm for infants and high-risk children.
Families with infants born on or before April 1, 2026 and who are under 8 months old at the time of immunization and children under 24 months old who remain vulnerable to RSV are eligible for the program, which will run from October until March.
The immunization will be available at hospitals for newborns prior to discharge, as well as at participating health care providers, obstetricians, and midwives.
Appointments are also currently being booked for RCDHU-led immunization clinics which will start on October 21.
The health unit is also encouraging parents and caregivers to ask their health care providers for a record of their children’s RSV immunization to keep for future visits.
(written by Kasey Egan)
