As of October 26th, anyone 6 months and older who lives, works or goes to school in Ontario can get a free flu shot and COVID-19 vaccine. Until now, the shots went first to people at higher risk, such as adults 65 and older, pregnant people and health-care workers.
Flu season came early this year. On September 28th, Southwestern Public Health (SWPH), the health unit for St. Thomas, Elgin County and Oxford County, confirmed the region’s first lab-confirmed case of influenza A this season, a sign of “an early start of flu season.”
You have three options of places to go.
Southwestern Public Health. The health unit runs a clinic at its St. Thomas office, 1230 Talbot Street. Appointments are required, and each person needs their own. You can book online through SWPH or call 1-800-922-0096. SWPH’s online booking tool says it has “a limited number of appointments” this fall for anyone 6 months or older who lives, works or spends time in the region. You do not need a health card, but bring yours if you have one.
A pharmacy. Participating pharmacies give flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines too, and many offer evening and weekend appointments. The province asks you to call ahead to make sure the vaccine is in stock, and its vaccine locations finder lists pharmacies near you.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner. Participating health-care providers also give flu shots.
Young children have fewer choices. Children from 6 months up to 2 years old cannot get a flu shot at a pharmacy. They get it from a doctor, a nurse practitioner or the health unit, and for their COVID-19 vaccine, SWPH lists its own clinics. Children 2 and older can get a flu shot at a participating pharmacy. For a COVID-19 vaccine at a pharmacy, SWPH says to call ahead and confirm the pharmacy vaccinates children. A child too young to make their own health decisions must come with a parent or guardian, or bring written permission.
You can get your flu shot at the same time as your COVID-19 vaccine, or any time before or after it. At an SWPH clinic, plan to spend about 30 minutes, wear short sleeves, and expect to stay 15 minutes after your shot to be monitored. The flu shot takes about two weeks to work fully.
The RSV vaccine is a separate program. You may qualify for a publicly funded RSV vaccine if you are 75 or older, or 60 to 74 and meet the province’s high-risk criteria. SWPH says to book it through your primary care provider, and if you got an RSV vaccine in a past season, you do not need another dose for now. Adults 60 and older who do not qualify can still get it at a pharmacy with a prescription. They have to pay for it, though some private insurance plans may cover part or all of the cost.
“As we enter an early respiratory virus season, we encourage residents to make a plan to get vaccinated and take advantage of the protection these vaccines offer,” said Dr. Ninh Tran, SWPH’s Medical Officer of Health, in an October 19th release.
If you have questions about your health or a vaccine, you can call Health811 at 811, any time of day. You do not need a health card.
Sources: Southwestern Public Health media release, October 19, 2026 · Ontario’s flu vaccination program · SWPH flu and COVID-19 page
By Anthony Zruna · About the LocVox Newsroom
Facebook does not show posts that link to Canadian news sites, so this story is shared as a picture.
- Save the picture.
- Copy the caption.
- Start a Facebook post, add the picture and paste the caption.
Before you go
You read a local story to the end, so St. Thomas news matters to you. Once a week I gather the whole week into one Friday email: top stories, the weekend forecast, what council decided, what police logged, and what's on this weekend. Free, and one click unsubscribes you.
Send me Friday's newsletter