Health Minister Christine Elliott warns that an early flu season in Australia and New Zealand may well indicate a difficult fall and winter flu season here. Australian health authorities report unusually high flu activity during the Oz wintertime. Hospitalizations are three times greater and there have been more than 200 deaths so far, according to that country’s department of health. Ontario has ordered 300,000 more doses of high-dose flu vaccines than last year, bringing the total order to 1.2 million doses. That vaccine has four times the amount of antigens than the regular flu shot and is given to more vulnerable people, such as seniors. It can be provided in hospitals, long-term care homes and by primary care providers.
