To help youth stay healthy during this year’s respiratory virus season, our health care centre teamed up with public health to offer regular flu and COVID-19 booster shots at our shelter right through to the end of December.
Medina Esmail, our interim health care services manager, says that young people without safe, stable housing are at greater risk of being exposed to and contracting the flu and other respiratory viruses, which typically spread this time of year.
“This risk is often higher for many reasons including navigating daily stressful situations like where to sleep, keeping warm and dry, finding food to eat and staying safe,” said Medina.
In addition to providing youth with access to many health care services, including first aid and lab tests, our health clinic is making it easier for those who get sick to feel better sooner by offering cough and cold kits, eliminating the need to buy medicine they cannot afford. The kits contain cough medicine, herbal tea, lozenges and other items to help them stay well during respiratory virus season.
“We’re so lucky and grateful to have access to vaccines that help youth experiencing homelessness and our staff stay healthy,” Medina said. “It’s just one of the many ways we work to care for their health and wellbeing.”