Influenza vaccine availability for the 2022/2023 season

Advisory Alert

September 12, 2022

*Cette information est seulement disponible en anglais.

To: Local health care providers

FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION

Important information about the 2022/2023 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP)

Thank you for your ongoing work to ensure your patients are protected against vaccine preventable diseases. With influenza season approaching, please see key updates and important information about the 2022/2023 Universal Influenza Immunization Program (UIIP).  This program is always important and arguably now more than ever with the upcoming respiratory season, anticipated surge in infections, and concerns about health care system capacity.

COVID-19 and influenza vaccines

The National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommends that for individuals 5 years of age and older, COVID-19 vaccines may be given simultaneously with (i.e., same day) or at any time before or after non-COVID-19 vaccines (including live and non-live vaccines). At this time, Moderna (25 mcg) COVID-19 vaccine, for ages 6 months to 5 years should not be given concurrently (i.e., same day) with other vaccines but rather wait a period of 14 days before or after administration of other vaccines to prevent erroneously connecting an adverse event following immunization to one vaccine over another. Note that information about the recently announced Pfizer-BioNTech Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine for children six months to four years of age is not available at time of writing.

Public Health Unit influenza vaccine allocation process

Table 1: Distribution of Influenza Vaccines in Ontario

WhenDistribution Initiated To
Early OctoberHospitals and Long-term care homes
Early-to-mid OctoberRetirement homes and other settings with vulnerable populations
Mid-to-late OctoberPhysicians, pharmacies, and all other providers/organizations

Immunizing older adults

Ordering information

UIIP product information

A variety of products will be available for ordering/immunization. Please refer to Table 2 below for vaccine product specific details that will be available to health care providers to order.

Table 2: Influenza Vaccine Products for the 2022/2023 Season

Influenza Vaccine ProductAvailabilityEligibilityDosage
FluLaval Tetra
(Quadrivalent influenza vaccine – QIV)
GlaxoSmithKline Inc.
15 mcg/0.5mL Multi-dose vial format (MDV)6 months of age and older0.5 mL IM
Fluzone® Quadrivalent (Quadtrivalent influenza vaccine – QIV)
Sanofi Pasteur Limited
15 mcg/0.5mL MDV and pre-filled syringe (PFS) format6 months of age and older0.5 mL IM
Afluria® Tetra (Quadrivalent influenza vaccine – QIV)
Seqirus Limited
*Pharmacy only
15 mcg/0.5 mL MDV and PFS5 years of age and older0.5 mL IM
Fluzone® High-Dose Quadrivalent
(Quadrivalent high-dose influenza vaccine- QIV-HD)
Sanofi Pasteur Limited
15 mcg/0.5 mL
PFS
65 years of age or older0.7 mL IM
Fluad®
(Trivalent adjuvanted influenza vaccine – TIV-adj)
Seqirus Limited
15 mcg/0.5 mL
PFS
65 years of age or older0.5 mL IM

UIIP package is attached

Your UIIP package is attached. Within you will find further information on the provincial procurement of influenza vaccine as well as Q&A documents outlining eligibility and indications for the UIIP vaccine products available for immunization in the 2022/2023 season. We will share any additional information regarding the influenza vaccine and roll-out for Ontario as it is shared by the province.

UIIP package attachments:

Thank you in advance for your ongoing commitment to protecting the heath and safety of your patients through the administration of influenza vaccines. Should you have any questions, please contact the immunization program at 705.522.9200 ext. 458.

Sincerely,

Original Signed By

Dr. Penny Sutcliffe
Medical Officer of Health and Chief Executive Officer

NOTE: All Advisory Alerts are found on our website.


This item was last modified on September 28, 2023