Ontario is launching free flu and COVID-19 shots next week as vaccination rates decline - Toronto Star

High-risk groups are eligible Sept. 28, followed by the general public at pharmacies and doctors on Oct. 26.

The Ministry of Health recommends all individuals six months and older receive an annual flu shot and COVID-19 vaccination.

Fewer Ontarians are getting vaccinated against flu and COVID-19, even as the province prepares to roll out its annual immunization campaign next week.

Starting Sept. 28, high-risk individuals, including hospital patients and workers, long-term care residents and staff, and people aged 65 and older will be able to get flu and COVID-19 shots.

They will be available to the general public starting Oct. 26 at select pharmacies and family doctors’ offices. 

The shots are free for anyone who lives, works or studies in Ontario. 

According to the federal government’s Seasonal Respiratory Vaccination Coverage Survey, in 2025, close to 36 per cent of adults in Ontario received a flu shot. That was slightly down from 2024, when 36.5 per cent of adults in the province got one. The same survey showed that the number of adults opting to receive a COVID-19 vaccine declined at a faster rate, from just over 26 per cent in 2024 to close to 22 per cent in 2025.

The Ministry of Health recommends that all individuals six months and older receive an annual flu shot and COVID-19 vaccination.

RSV shots will be made available to individuals aged 60 to 74 who are considered high-risk and those 75 and older regardless of risk status. 

Starting Oct. 1, infants younger than eight months old and who will be in their first RSV season will be eligible for the immunization. High-risk children up to two years old in their second RSV season will also be able to get the shot.

Jake Ross is a staff reporter with the Toronto Star. Reach him via email: jross@thestar.ca