Island Health is ramping up its Covid and Influenza vaccine campaign with free walk-in clinics for children under 12 years of age.

Dr. Charuka Maheswaran, a public health resident physican at Island Health, says that it is especially important that children get their flu shot this year.

“Last year, we saw more children hospitalized with influenza than usual and we don't want that again this year,” she said.

According to the BC Centre for Disease Control’s most recent report, infulenza is increasing both in wastewater monitoring and testing. RSV is also increasing with high test positivity among children.

In last year’s flu season, 1,792 children in Canada were hospitalized with influenza, 283 were admitted to intensive care and 10 died, according to a report published by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

For a full list of family clinics for flu and Covid shots on Vancouver Island click here.

Listen to CHLY’s full report below: