Halton Healthcare is boasting about the success of their first-ever regional Paediatric RSV Immunization clinic.
It officially closes for the season on Thursday, January 23rd after immunizing 500 babies against Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), a highly contagious virus that leads to 30-40% of paediatric hospitalizations.
The clinic was a collaborative initiative by Halton Healthcare, the Connected Care Halton Ontario Health Team, Halton Region Public Health, and Primary Care Physicians to support the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) new universal infant RSV prevention program. This seasonal clinic, held at Milton District Hospital, provided families with convenient access to RSV immunizations for infants and high-risk toddlers. It was the only one of its kind in the Region.
Under the Ministry’s new program, all newborns and babies born after January 1st, 2024 became eligible for free immunizations, alongside high-risk toddlers under the age of two. Previously, free immunizations were only available to high-risk infants or premature babies.
The clinic was launched to immunize babies born from January to November 2024 in preparation for their first RSV season in the fall and winter months. Babies born in November and onward receive immunization before hospital discharge. Immunization helps to improve the health and well-being of the youngest community members by protecting vulnerable infants from severe lung infections, ER visits and admissions.
“We are extremely proud to have been part of this initiative and thank everyone who made this clinic so successful,” says Cheryl Hoare, Program Director, Women and Children. “Together with the Connected Care Ontario Health Team, Halton Region Public Health, and Primary Care, we have been able to protect the tiniest members of our community and ease the burden on our healthcare system. We are incredibly proud of what this initiative has achieved.”
Although the clinic is closing, RSV immunizations to newborns remain available through primary care providers and in hospital.
For more information about the RSV immunizations and healthcare options, click here.
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