London hospital expects worse flu season than in recent years

London Health Sciences Centre in shown in this undated photo. (File)

Staff at the London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) are bracing for what they believe could be one of the worst flu seasons they’ve experienced in years.

Dr. Rodrick Lim, the director of the paediatric emergency department at the LHSC told CTV News that they are prepared to see an influx of patients with influenza this winter.

“We know that COVID-19 is freely circulating and influenza’s already started off quite early this year, anything we can do for ourselves and society is welcome,” he said.

Since Canadians have been quarantined for an extended amount of time throughout the pandemic, they are more susceptible to viruses including the flu, according to Lim.

"I think parents have already noted that their children have had more illnesses in the past months than they had in the past two years,” Lim added.

“We anticipate this winter to be a tremendous opportunity for the virus to spread quite freely so the more we can do our part the less likely they'll have to end up in an emergency department or their family’s doctor's office.”

Lim recommends people stay home when they feel sick and get their flu shot to keep others safe and to reduce the strain on the emergency department.

Lim also warned that emergency room wait times are expected to climb to new record levels as healthcare workers across Canada are stretched thin.