The low activity mirrors much of what's being seen across the country and is due in part to restrictions brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

'I asked for some more doses — begged for some more doses — to try to get especially to those high-risk patients,' says Diane Harpell, a Dartmouth pharmacy owner.

Some Manitoba pharmacists say they're running low on doses of the flu vaccine.

Guelph's public health unit says residents should not be worried about flu shot availability.

"In having that conversation with her, we recognized that it was really important for the community, especially with seniors or anyone with mobility challenges, to be able to be immunized against the flu in this year in their community at home and make it easier to access that flu shot," said Baker.

"Most pharmacies have either run out or are very close to depleting the stock of the vaccine and we're having to rebook or cancel appointments for patients."

The health unit says during the last flu season, there were three flu outbreaks in total at PRHC and long-term care homes, compared to 10 the year prior.

At least 13 vaccinated people have died, yet officials say they will not cancel the program, citing a "low possibility that the deaths resulted from the shots."

A Hamilton pharmacy is holding the first of what it hopes will be many flu clinics in which people with appointments receive the shot while in their car.

Staff at doctors' offices and pharmacies are handing out doses of Fluzone HD almost as fast as they can stock them.