FLU SEASON 2025/2026

Updated September 26, 2025

The cooler season has arrived and that means respiratory illnesses are also on the rise. Over the past couple of years, the main fall/winter respiratory season include concerns about both the influenza and respiratory syncytial viruses (a.k.a. “the flu” and “RSV”).

For some people who are eligible, it’s also time to get protection against RSV. Click here to read more about RSV as this page deals specifically with the flu vaccine.

Your Magenta Health physician continues to highly recommend everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine yearly.

getting your flu shot

(including booster shots)

…Outside of magenta health:

Given our limited resources and supply, this is our preference. Depending on your age, here are some options for getting a flu vaccine in Toronto:

  • Participating neighbourhood pharmacies offer flu vaccines to anyone aged 2 years and older. Please contact your preferred local pharmacy directly to confirm availability and what ages they will vaccinate.

    • Of particular note, our Beaches clinic co-located pharmacy partner, Queen East Medical Pharmacy , will offer flu shots for anyone aged 5 years or older.

  • Toronto Public Health usually offers COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics each fall.

  • Other community health centres may also offer flu clinics. Please contact them directly.

  • Travel clinics may be able to offer flu vaccines to those aged 6 months and older. Please contact them directly.

Please consider the options above as they will likely be more convenient for you and will help us to better serve patients, such as those under 2, who are not able to access many of the above options.

…at magenta health:

WHO can book at Magenta? Due to limited supply and capacity, we are currently limited to who can get a flu vaccine at Magenta Health.
You can get your flu vaccine at Magenta Health if you are an active patient at the clinic AND are at least one of the following:

WHAT appointments will be available? For this flu season, we will be offering a combination of evening and weekend flu clinic appointments and weekday flu vaccine nurse appointments. The clinic will stock standard flu vaccines for anyone 6 months or older. If available to us, we will also stock both the high dose and the adjuvanted flu vaccine for those who are 65 or older.

HOW can I book an appointment if I am eligible? Click here to book your flu shot appointment if you are within the eligibility group.

Magenta Health Flu Clinic FAQs:

  • You can find out some great information about the flu and the flu vaccine on the following sites:

  • Due to limited supply and capacity, we are currently limiting who can get a flu vaccine at Magenta Health to those who are at an increased risk of complications from the flu.

    You can get your flu vaccine at Magenta health if you are a patient at the clinic AND are at least one of the following:

    If you are not a part of our priority group, we encourage you to get a flu vaccine and one of the many options listed at the top of this page under the header “…OUTSIDE OF MAGENTA HEALTH”.

  • There are many reasons why someone may be considered to be at a greater risk for potentially serious complications from the flu such as pneumonia and heart attacks.  More information about who this applies to can be found on the Ontario Flu Facts website as well as the government of Canada’s flu vaccine website.

    Please note that the above references are not a comprehensive list. If you have questions about whether or not you are considered high risk for flu complications, please book an appointment with your physician to discuss it.

  • If you are not a part of our priority group or if the dates/times don’t work for you, we encourage you to get a flu vaccine at one of the many options listed at the top of this page under the header “…OUTSIDE OF MAGENTA HEALTH”.

  • No, all flu vaccinations are by appointment only to ensure we have enough vaccines on hand and to minimize wait-times.

  • Depending on the community health situation, our medical team may re-institute universal mandatory masking in the clinics at any time. Currently, we ask all patients and visitors to wear a mask if they are experiencing respiratory symptoms. Of course, you are always welcome to wear a mask even if you don’t have respiratory symptoms. Children under 2 are exempt from wearing a mask.

  • Having immediate family members vaccinated helps to decrease the risks of getting the flu for everyone. For household members, who are also active patients of a Magenta Health physician, we are able to offer limited additional shots depending on whether the flu shot appointment is booked during the week or at a weekend/evening clinic.

    When booking the weekday daytime nurse flu shot appointments, only TWO additional household members can be added to the appointment. These additional household members do not have to be part of the prioritized population. For example, two parents of an eligible 3 year old can also get the flu shot at the same appointment.

    During our weekend or evening flu clinics, we will allow all household members to be added to the appointment of an eligible patient. However, these flu clinics are limited in number so we urge you to book the next available convenient appointment.

    Note that we are not able to provide flu vaccinations to those who are not active patients of a Magenta Health physician.

  • If you are part of our priority patient population and a nurse is available during your appointment, you will be able to get your flu shot at the appointment. If the nurse is not available during your appointment, you may be asked to rebook a dedicated flu vaccine appointment with a clinic nurse or get the flu vaccine elsewhere.

    If you are NOT a part of our priority population, we will not be able to administer a flu vaccine during your appointment and instead encourage you to get a flu vaccine at one of the many options listed at the top of this page under the header “…OUTSIDE OF MAGENTA HEALTH”.

  • Please read this fact sheet and come dressed for the shot!  For kids and adults, wear comfortable clothing that makes it easy to expose your upper arm.  For infants/toddlers, the nurse or physician will determine where the vaccine will be given at the appointment (either the leg or the arm) so no need to where something specific!

  • Your physician or nurse can advise you whether the flu vaccine can be given concurrently with another vaccine.

  • Currently, Magenta Health is not offering COVID-19 vaccinations directly at our clinics. For more information, please click here.

  • It depends on your eligibility and our RSV vaccine or RSV antibody stock availability. If eligible and stock is available, our nurse may be able to administer the RSV shot along with a flu shot.

    Find out more about RSV eligibility here.

    NOTE: It is not possible to get any RSV shots during a flu clinic appointment run by our physicians.