With cooler temps and school back in session, a perfect storm is brewing for respiratory viruses.

To help combat this, health units are beginning to roll out seasonal vaccinations, with some provinces expanding eligibility.

In Ontario and Quebec, for example, newborns will be offered RSV vaccines for the first time.

A McMaster University expert is available to speak on vaccines and respiratory virus season: Jeffrey Pernica is an associate professor and the head of the Division of Infectious Disease with McMaster University’s Department of Pediatrics.

Pernica is available to speak on the soon-to-be available vaccines, as well as COVID-19, flu and RSV at large.

• “If somebody is feeling that they have a viral respiratory illness, especially if you have a fever, that would be a good day to stay at home to slow the spread of respiratory viruses,” Pernica says.
• Pernica can be reached directly at pernica@mcmaster.ca.