P.E.I.'s top doctor wants more Islanders eligible for free RSV vaccine

P.E.I.'s chief public health officer is working towards expanding eligibility for RSV vaccines as the province experiences high levels of respiratory illnesses this season.

Dr. Heather Morrison said with three months still left in the season, the province is currently seeing significant levels of respiratory syncytial virus, influenza and COVID-19, which are putting a strain on the health-care system.

"That combination certainly has an impact on the community, and it has an impact on our health-care services as well," she told CBC's Island Morning.

"Looking at these numbers, knowing what is happening across the country as well as in certain jurisdictions, I think we are working certainly towards broader eligibility coverage for RSV vaccine programs, both for infants and older adults," she said.

RSV season on the Island began slightly earlier than last year, Morrison said, with 262 lab-confirmed cases and 36 hospitalizations reported to date. That compares to just over 400 total cases last season.

The most affected age groups are young children up to four years old and adults over 65, Morrison noted.

High-risk infants on P.E.I. have been offered a passive immunizing agent, while those 60 and above in long-term and community care facilities have access to an RSV vaccine.

While she would like to see RSV vaccine eligibility expanded to babies up to two years old and Islanders 75 and older, Morrison said that will require an approval and funding process.

Flu and COVID-19

As for influenza, Morrison said the peak is arriving later than in previous years, and cases have yet to reach their highest point.

Flu seasons naturally vary from year to year, she said, as there can be different strains circulating, and their timing can shift.

Morrison noted, however, that most of the individuals hospitalized for both COVID-19 and influenza have not been up to date with their vaccinations.

"In this respiratory season, we've had 57 hospitalizations for COVID. Only six of those have been up to date with their COVID vaccine. And of the influenza hospitalizations to date, none of them have had their vaccine," Morrison said. "So I want to emphasize that to just demonstrate some of the importance of reducing your risk of hospitalization if you are vaccinated.

"We'll be certainly evaluating the whole RSV season and RSV immunization at the end of the season. I do think we will see some lowering of the RSV numbers over the next number of weeks."