Respiratory Infection Prevention – This Cold and Flu Season
Respiratory infections including Influenza (Flu), COVID-19, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Pneumococcal Disease are common and can cause serious illness — especially for young children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions.
These organisms spread primarily by respiratory droplets that exit a person’s body when they cough, sneeze or talk. Respiratory particles can also land and live on surfaces or objects, causing infection if a person touches a contaminated surface and then their face (eyes/nose/mouth).
Protect yourself and others!
- Stay home when you are sick until you have no fever and symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours (or 48 hours if there was nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea)
- Wash/sanitize your hands often
- Cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze
- Regularly clean and disinfect high touch surfaces and shared items
- Consider wearing a tight-fitting, well-constructed mask in indoor public settings, especially if you are at risk of severe infection
- Keep your vaccinations up to date!
How to Protect Yourself and Others from Respiratory Viruses – Public Health Ontario
What is influenza?
Influenza, commonly called “the flu”, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and, in some cases, lead to hospitalization or death, especially among seniors and young children.
Getting your free flu shot is the best way to keep you, your family, and your loved ones safe and healthy during the flu and respiratory illness season.
Who’s at Risk?
Anyone can get the flu, but certain groups are at higher risk for complications:
- Young children
- Adults 65 years and older
- Pregnant people
- People with chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, heart disease)
- Residents of long-term care facilities
Healthcare workers are also at higher risk of exposure due to frequent contact with patients.
Signs & Symptoms
Flu symptoms typically appear 1–4 days after exposure.
Symptoms may include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Some may experience vomiting or diarrhea (more common in children)
How It Spreads
Influenza spreads mainly through droplets when people with flu cough, sneeze, or talk. It can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.
Healthcare environments, schools, and crowded public places make it easier for the flu to spread quickly.
Prevention
The best defense against influenza is a yearly flu vaccine. Other prevention measures include:
- Washing your hands often with soap and water
- Covering coughs and sneezes with your elbow or a tissue
- Wearing a mask if you’re sick or working with vulnerable patients
- Staying home when you’re ill to avoid spreading infection
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
Did you know?
- People can spread the virus a day before symptoms start
- Flu viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 48 hours
More Information
What is COVID-19?
A respiratory infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Illness ranges from mild cold-like symptoms to severe pneumonia. Getting your annual COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to remain protected against the most severe outcomes of COVID-19 infection, including hospitalization and death.
Who’s at Risk?
Anyone can get COVID-19, but certain groups are at higher risk for complications:
- Older adults (increasing risk with each decade, especially over 60 years)
- Pregnant people
- People with chronic health conditions (e.g., asthma, diabetes, heart disease)
- People who are immunocompromised
Healthcare workers are also at higher risk of exposure due to frequent contact with patients.
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 typically appear 3 to 7 days after exposure.
Symptoms may include:
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- New or worsening cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Temperature equal to or more than 38°C
- Feeling feverish
- Chills
- Fatigue or weakness
- Muscle or body aches
- New loss of smell or taste
- Headache
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting
- Feeling very unwell
How It Spreads
COVID-19 spreads mainly through droplets when people with COVID-19 cough, sneeze, or talk. It can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.
Prevention
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters. Free COVID-19 vaccines are available for all individuals 6 months of age and older who live, work or go to school in Ontario.
- Improve ventilation — open windows or use air filtration.
- Practice regular hand hygiene.
- Wear a mask in crowded indoor spaces or when respiratory symptoms are present.
- Stay home if you are sick and follow isolation guidance.
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
Did you know?
- Vaccination reduces your risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and long-term complications from COVID-19.
- It is safe to receive the annual COVID-19 vaccine and flu shot (and the RSV vaccine for eligible older adults) at the same time.
More Information
People Who Are At Risk Of More Severe Disease Or Outcomes From COVID-19 – Government of Canada
What is RSV?
A common respiratory virus that circulates from November to April and causes cold-like symptoms in healthy children and adults. RSV can lead to serious illness in infants, young children, older adults, and immunocompromised individuals.
Who’s at Risk?
Although most children have had an RSV infection by the time that they are 2 years old, repeat infections can occur at any age. Repeat infections of RSV are often less severe.
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms of RSV often begin 2 to 8 days after exposure to the virus.
Symptoms may include:
- Runny nose
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Fever
- Decrease in appetite and energy
In infants, symptoms may include:
- Irritability
- Difficulty breathing
- Decreased appetite or feeding
- Decreased activity
How It Spreads
RSV spreads mainly through droplets when people with RSV cough, sneeze, or talk. It can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.
Prevention
- Wash hands frequently
- Stay home and limit contact with others when you’re sick to avoid spreading the illness
- Avoid close contact, such as shaking hands, kissing and sharing utensils, with people who have cold-like symptoms
- Cough or sneeze into your elbow or a tissue (not your hand)
- Preventive monoclonal antibodies or vaccines are available for some high-risk groups — talk to your healthcare provider.
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
Infants and High-Risk Children:
The Ontario RSV program publicly funds two Health Canada authorized products to help prevent respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) lower respiratory tract disease in infants and high-risk children:
- a monoclonal antibody (Beyfortus®) given to infants just prior to or during their first RSV season or high-risk children in their second season
- a vaccine (AbrysvoTM) given during pregnancy
- In alignment with National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), Beyfortus® is the preferred product to protect infants. Receiving both Abrysvo® and Beyfortus® is not generally recommended.
Adults 75+ and High-Risk Adults:
Starting in the 2025–2026 RSV season, Ontario is expanding its adult RSV prevention program that was introduced in 2023 to include all adults 75 years and older, in addition to adults aged 60–74 who meet high-risk criteria or reside in specific higher-risk settings.
The Ontario RSV program publicly funds two Health Canada authorized products to help prevent RSV lower respiratory tract disease in older adults:
- AbrysvoTM vaccine
- Arexvy vaccine
Did you know?
- RSV is the most common cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under one year of age.
- People who are infected with RSV can get repeat infections. Reinfection in older adults can have serious health consequences
More Information
Respiratory Syncytia Virus (RSV) Prevention Programs – Ontario.ca
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Symptoms and Treatment – Government of Canada
What is Pneumococcal Disease?
An infection caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. It can lead to pneumonia, meningitis, or bloodstream infections.
Who’s at Risk?
Invasive pneumococcal disease is most common in the very young (children under 5, especially those under age 2) and the elderly (those over age 65)
Signs & Symptoms
Symptoms may appear in 1 to 3 days. Many people who have pneumococcal bacteria in their nose and throat will not show any symptoms.
In some cases, pneumococcal bacteria cause local (contained) infections, such as:
- ear infections (otitis media): symptoms include sore ear(s) and fever.
- sinus infections (sinusitis): symptoms include plugged nose and headaches.
- lung infections (pneumonia): symptoms include coughing up thick mucus and difficulty breathing.
In rarer cases, the bacteria invade other parts of the body–like the brain or the spinal cord. When this happens, a serious disease called Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD) can develop.
For children, especially those under age 2, one of the first symptoms of IPD is a high fever. The other symptoms depend upon what part(s) of the body is (are) affected. But typically symptoms will include:
- stiff neck
- headache
- vomiting
- fussiness (crying)
- loss of appetite
- coughing
How it spreads:
The bacteria can be spread through respiratory droplets when people cough or sneeze. It can be carried harmlessly in the nose or throat and spread to others.
It can also spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face.
Prevention:
- Get vaccinated — pneumococcal vaccines protect against the most common strains.
- Clean your hands regularly.
- Avoid smoking, which increases the risk of severe pneumococcal infection.
- Maintain overall health and manage chronic conditions.
- Cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces
The pneumococcal conjugate (Pneu-C) vaccines have been approved for use by Health Canada and are safe and effective products that protect against up to 20 different types of bacteria that cause pneumococcal disease. Vaccines protect you by building antibodies against a disease. The vaccines are provided for free to eligible individuals as part of the Ontario’s publicly funded immunization program.
Did you know?
- Adults aged 65+ and those with certain medical conditions (like diabetes or heart disease) are at higher risk of serious pneumococcal illness.
- A person is capable of transmitting disease to others as long as the bacteria are present in secretion from the nose and mouth. Transmission stops when the bacteria disappear from the nose and mouth, usually within 24 hours after appropriate antimicrobial treatment has been initiated.
More Information