Health Care Provider Flu Information

To preserve health care capacity, we strongly recommend that health care providers promote the flu vaccine this season, especially to anyone at high risk of serious complications from the flu.

COVID-19 VACCINES – For more information on the COVID-19 vaccines, please visit the dedicated webpage.

Flu Vaccines - The TBDHU flu vaccine order forms have been updated for the 2023-24 flu season; updated return forms will be available shortly.

Please direct any questions or concerns you have regarding the provincial influenza vaccine supply to UIIP.MOH@ontario.ca.

 

Prioritization for the 2023-2024 Influenza Season

To determine eligibility for influenza vaccination in October, please refer to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines or the Canadian Immunization Guide chapter on influenza for which individuals are at high risk of influenza-related complications or hospitalization.

The following timelines reflect how flu vaccine has typically been prioritized:

  • Late September/Early October: Hospitalized individuals and hospital staff, long-term care home residents and staff. TBDHU will prioritize distribution to hospitals and long-term care homes in late September/early October. 
  • October: Individuals at high risk of complications or hospitalization due to influenza.
  • October 30: General population. 

As TBDHU receives its influenza vaccine in increments, the initial influenza vaccine supply is prioritized for public hospitals and long-term care homes, including health care workers. Next priority for distribution is given to retirement homes and other congregate settings where there are other vulnerable groups.

As supply is replenished, vaccine distribution will continue more broadly to primary care providers. Health care providers can begin immunizing as soon as they receive supply, prioritizing high risk groups. Pharmacies will also receive supply in October to begin immunizing high risk groups.

 

Vaccine Product Information

Product monographs are listed below for additional details. 2022-23 monographs will be replaced with 2023-24 product monographs as they become available.

Ordering, Transporting and Returning Vaccines

City of Thunder Bay and surrounding rural communities

Ordering Vaccines – Primary Care and Clinics

Available vaccine will be distributed to ensure equal access for all ordering health care providers.

Please only order the flu vaccines that you require for the week. It is important to consider your fridge capacity when placing orders. TBDHU recommends not stocking your fridge above 80% capacity. Overstocking your fridge can increase the risk of a cold chain incident.

Please use this updated order form (September 2023) and return the form by email to VaccineOrders@TBDHU.com

You MUST submit a temperature log book with your order; see the Submitting Temperature Log Books section below for more details. Orders cannot be processed without a copy of the temperature log book. 

TBDHU has a set schedule for vaccine ordering. Please follow this schedule when placing your orders for flu vaccine products.

  • Submit flu vaccine orders: Monday-Tuesday
  • Pick up flu vaccine orders: Thursday-Friday
    Please reach out to us if you need an order sooner than this schedule permits.

Emails to VaccineOrders@TBDHU.com are preferred as they reduce the risk of misplaced orders and improve the readability of the order and temperature log book submission. Please call (807) 625-5900 with any questions.

Transporting Vaccines

Flu vaccines can be picked up ONLY during the following time slots (unless you have made special arrangements for an earlier pick-up day):

  • Thursdays and Fridays, 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Vaccines must be picked up with a hard sided cooler and thermometer. Coolers to transport vaccines must be pre-conditioned (2-8°C). It is very important to ensure you are bringing adequate pre-conditioned cooler space for your entire order. Please consider the dimensions of the product(s) you are picking-up when preparing your coolers. This video on How to Pack an Insulated Container for Vaccine Transport provides an overview of this process. It is recommended that individuals transporting flu vaccine have reviewed and are familiar with Vaccine Storage and Handling Guidelines and have completed Maintain the Cold Chain module.

To pick up vaccines, use the TBDHU Main Entrance.

  • Let reception staff know that you are here to pick up flu vaccines.
  • Temperature log books must be submitted with the order. They cannot be submitted at the time of pick up.

Submitting Temperature Log Books

As part of UIIP, health care providers and pharmacies are required to submit temperature log books to their Public Health Unit. The Ministry of Health has released a fillable PDF temperature log for your use. 

Temperature log books must be submitted as follows:

  • Primary Care and Clinics: When placing any flu vaccine orders. The temperature log book must show the temperatures since your last order OR just the last two weeks, if you ordered within the last two weeks.
  • Pharmacies: Every 2 weeks. 
    • Please include details of the vaccines you have with your temperature log. This allows the Health Unit to direct people looking for specific vaccines to a pharmacy that may have the product in stock.

Temperature log books can be submitted by email to VaccineOrders@TBDHU.com or by fax to 807-625-4828. Email is preferred to reduce the risk of lost or unreadable temperature log submissions. 

Returning Non-Reusable Flu Vaccine

The TBDHU non-reusable flu vaccine return forms will be updated for the 2023-2024 flu season. Please select the form that is specific to your facility: Health Care Provider or Pharmacy.

For additional information on the return process, please refer to the “Returning Non-Reusable Vaccine” section on our Immunization Resources page for Health Care Providers.

District

District providers are encouraged to contact their local TBDHU Branch Office regarding flu vaccine orders. Please use the District Order Form (Updated September 2023) when ordering flu vaccines from your Branch Office.

 

Health Care Provider Documents – Ministry of Health

    

National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) Statements

 

Additional Resources

Last Updated: 22/09/2023