COVID-19 Updates - THIS IS NO LONGER VALID INFORMATION

Cough and Cold Symptoms

  • If you have cough and cold symptoms and would like to be assessed by a health care provider, consider booking an assessment at a local cough, cold, and COVID clinic.

    • North York General Hospital Branson Site: Appointments can be booked online for the same or next day. Visit https://nygh.on.ca/coughcoldcovid for more information.

    • North York Family Health Team: Appointments can be booked by phone for the same day. Visit https://www.nyfht.com/ccfcc for more information.

  • Instructions on how to collect a home Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for COVID can be found here.

  • Tips on how to care for a child with cough and cold symptoms can be found here.

COVID Vaccines

  • It is recommended that everyone ages 5 and older get a mRNA COVID booster dose:

    • regardless of the number of booster doses previously received

    • six months after a COVID vaccine dose or a COVID infection. Three months (84 days) may be considered based on age, risk and health status

    • people at higher risk of getting very sick should get a bivalent booster three months (84 days) after their last dose or infection

  • It is recommended that children age 6 to under 5 years get their primary series of COVID vaccinations. The COVID vaccines are safe in children and strongly recommended along with the flu shot to keep your kids safe this winter.

  • We recommend you stay up to date with your COVID vaccinations. Visit https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-vaccines/ for more information.

COVID Vaccine booking options

Office Updates

  • Requisitions and forms are being sent to patients using our secure messaging platform Medeo. Please check your junk mail if you were expecting an email from our office but did not receive one.

  • Bloodwork - The nearest lab to our office is located at 240 Duncan Mill Road on the 7th floor and is open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Please visit www.lifelabs.com for a full list of locations.

It’s Flu Shot Time!

Given our limited resources and supply, our preference is that you get your flu shot outside of the clinic. Below you’ll find a list of some Toronto options that we are aware of:

  • North York Family Health Team is offering flu shot clinics at 240 Duncan Mill road. You can book directly here.

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

  • Toronto Public Health will be offering flu vaccine clinics soon. Check their website and the TPH booking page for details as they become available.

  • 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.

As always, we recommend you call ahead and ensure that they have the vaccine in stock and to see if they have any age restrictions.

Due to limited supply and capacity, we are currently limited as to who can get a flu vaccine at North York Family Health Centre to those who are at an increased risk of complications from the flu.

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

We will do our best to stock the standard flu vaccine for everyone 6 months or older as well as both the high dose and the adjuvanted flu vaccines for those who are 65 or older. Note that we receive our vaccines from a government pharmacy and don’t have control over delays or limited supply.

My child missed their grade 7/8 vaccines- What do I do now?

In Ontario, students normally receive a series of vaccinations in Grade 7 or 8 for the following vaccines:

  1. Two doses of a vaccine for the Human Papilloma Virus, given 6 months apart

  2. Two doses of a vaccine for Hepatitis B, given 6 months apart 

  3. One dose of a vaccine for Meningococcal disease

These vaccines are normally given by your local public health unit at your child’s school (more information about this program here). You can find out more about each vaccine with the links above, and about Ontario’s routine vaccination schedule here.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto Public Health’s school-based vaccination programs were put on hold.  As a result, many students who were in Grade 7 or 8 during the 2020 and 2021 school years missed these vaccines, or had the schedule interrupted during that time.

For those who live or study in Toronto, we’re happy to advise that Toronto Public Health is now offering these catch up vaccines as their clinics again!

These vaccines are free for students completing grades 7 to 12 at TPH Vaccine Clinics. OHIP is not required. Walk-in or make an appointment online. New clinics are added each week and are also available on evenings and weekends.

We typically do not have a record of whether or not patients have received the vaccines normally given in Grade 7/8. In general, we only have immunization records of vaccines that patients have either received through North York Family Medicine Centre, or that patients have previously reported to us.

To gather additional records regarding your child’s immunization records, please review this Toronto Public Health site and contact previous health care providers.

Should you have any medically-related questions, a regular appointment with your physician would be the appropriate next step.

COVID-19 Vaccine approved for children under 5 years old

We’re excited to share an update regarding the approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine for children between 6 months and 5 years of age! Health Canada has approved a paediatric version of the Moderna vaccine. This version of the vaccine will be administered in doses one-quarter the size of that approved for adults.

North York Family Health Team offers this vaccine. Currently, there are public vaccination sites throughout the city that are offering COVID-19 vaccines to eligible individuals.

Starting July 28, appointments will be available through the COVID-19 vaccination portal and the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre, directly through public health units using their own booking system, participating primary care providers and paediatricians, as well as at participating pharmacies and Indigenous-led vaccination clinics.

Parents and caregivers with questions are encouraged to speak with their health care provider or call the Provincial Vaccine Contact Centre at 1-833-943-3900 to speak to a health specialist or visit COVID-19 Vaccine Consult Service to book a confidential phone appointment with a SickKids Registered Nurse.

Zero Tolerance Abuse Policy

Abuse of staff, patients, physicians and all other members of the clinic will not be tolerated. Abuse can take many forms including but not limited to intimidation, condescending or patronizing language, impatience, refusal/reluctance to answer questions, giving misleading information and manipulation. Incidents will be recorded and reported to the appropriate personnel.

We will take corrective action up to and including termination of patient status, employment or permission to remain on the property, based on the severity of the incident.

Top 3 Tips for Healthy Living in 2016

by David M. Kaplan MD, MSc, CCFP

TIP 1: Canadians aged 50 or over should get screened for colon cancer

Only about 30% of Canadians aged 50 to 79 years-old get screened for colon cancer. Colon cancer is cancer of the lower bowel; about 1 in 20 people will get this cancer sometimes during their life. About 40% of patients who get colorectal cancer will die from it. There are two methods of screening people at low-risk:

  • stool testing for blood every 1-2 years
  • colonoscopy every 10 years 

 For more information visit or call our office or your family doctor

ColonCancerCheck.ca
Colon Cancer Information from the Mayo Clinic

TIP 2: Most Adult Canadians should take in about 1000 to 2000 international units (IU) of vitamin D every day – not specifically for disease prevention, but for normal body function. 

Vitamin D helps to strengthen your bones, may thwart different forms of cancer,  and may stave off multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune disorders. We know it is a prohormone that helps improve muscle strength and immune function, reduces inflammation, and promotes the absorption of calcium from the bowel. It also helps maintain our blood levels of the calcium and phosphate, which we need for bone formation,  growth, and repair.A large study (2007) showed that patients taking 500 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily had a seven per cent lower risk of death compared with those given a placebo. One cup of fortified milk contains 100 IU of vitamin D. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends Canadians take 1000 international units (IU) a day during fall and winter months. For more information visit or call your healthcare provider.

Vitamin D Information from the Mayo Clinic

TIP 3: Women should have routine pap smears.

Cervical cancer is the third most common cancer in young women aged 25-39. Most women diagnosed with cervical cancer have not had a pap smear in 3 years. All women over age 21 who have been sexually active should have routine pap smears. Additionally, young women aged 9-25 can be vaccinated against the two most common strains of HPV, the virus that causes cervical cancer. These girls and young women can speak to their doctor confidentially about the vaccine. For more information visit or call your healthcare provider:

Society of Gynaecologists and Obstetricians of Canada: How to Turn an Embarrassing Moment Into a Positive Experience
Life after Puberty: My First Pelvic Exam