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As respiratory illness season gets underway, Lakelands Public Health has unveiled a new respiratory diseases dashboard to give residents real-time information on local flu, COVID-19 and RSV activity.
The interactive tool covers Northumberland County, the City of Peterborough and Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County and nearby First Nations, including Alderville, Curve Lake and Hiawatha.
Updated every Tuesday throughout the season, the dashboard provides weekly data on emergency department visits, hospitalizations and outbreaks. It also assigns an overall activity level from low, medium or high-and offers practical guidance to help residents reduce the risk of illness.
“Knowledge is one of our best defences against illness,” said Dr. Natalie Bocking, deputy medical officer of health. “This dashboard empowers our community to understand what’s happening locally and take simple, evidence-based actions to stay healthy this respiratory season.”
Currently, the dashboard indicates a low level of respiratory virus activity. Residents are encouraged to stay home if sick, stay up to date with flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines, monitor community trends and consider precautions such as masking in high-risk settings.
Influenza and COVID-19 vaccines are available for all populations as of Oct. 27. Residents can book appointments through local pharmacies or health-care providers.
The respiratory diseases dashboard is designed to help individuals, families and community partners make informed, prevention-focused decisions throughout the season.
For more information, visit the Lakelands Public Health website to view the dashboard and access detailed resources on flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccinations.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
