Heather Latter
After two weeks of offering the H1N1 vaccine solely to those at highest risk, the Northwestern Health Unit is now ready to vaccinate members of the general public.
“The amount of people coming in for their H1N1 ’flu shot has significantly decreased over the past week, leading us to believe that much of the priority population who wants to receive the vaccine has received it,” Arlene Lesenke, director of health protection for the health unit, noted via e-mail yesterday afternoon.
“Priority groups are still encouraged to get the vaccine this week,” she added.
“What is important now is to get the vaccine into the arms of people who want or need it as soon as we can,” she stressed.
Priority groups include those under 65 with chronic conditions, healthy children aged six months to five years, pregnant women (by appointment only), people living in remote or isolated communities, health care workers, and household contacts and care providers of persons at high risk who cannot be immunized or who may not respond to vaccines.
Lesenke indicated that within the general public, there are certain groups the health unit is encouraging to be next in line, namely children aged five-18, first responders and correctional officers, adults aged 19-64, and adults 65 years of age and older.
“There will be enough of the vaccine for everyone who wants it,” she pledged.
“We can’t immunize everyone at once, but are confident that everyone who wants it will have the H1N1 vaccination by Christmas.”
“Any shortages in the supply of the vaccine will only be temporary,” Dr. James Arthurs, acting medical officer of health for the health unit, noted in a press release issued Monday.
“Our perspective now is that the H1N1 vaccine should be in the arms of all Ontarians as soon as possible.”
More clinics, including walk-in ones, have been added in the Fort Frances area.
There will be a walk-in clinic at J.W. Walker School next Tuesday (Nov. 17) from 4-7 p.m. and another at the Memorial Sports Centre on Tuesday, Nov. 24 from 3-7 p.m.
Others will be at the health unit’s office on Scott Street.
Call the toll-free ’flu hotline (866-468-2240) or visit www.nwhu.on.ca for the most up-to-date schedule.
“The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has made it clear that vaccine should not be sitting in fridges,” Lesenke said.
“Because the challenges involved in distributing vaccine around the north, the Northwestern Health Unit received an extra allocation from the first batch of vaccine,” she explained.
“With a smaller number of priority groups attending community clinics or making appointments for vaccinations, we are ready to open them up.”
However, the provincial government announced yesterday that Ontario is opening its H1N1 immunization program to first responders (i.e., police and firefighters), frontline institutional correctional workers, and people aged 65 and over who live in institutions like long-term care homes.
A small number of ministry staff who are directly involved in the pandemic response also will be immunized this week.
A press release stated Ontario received 395,000 doses of adjuvanted vaccine on Monday. The adjuvanted vaccine can be used this week, and allows for the limited expansion of the immunization program.
An additional 375,000 doses of unadjuvanted vaccine produced by GlaxoSmithKline also was received Monday. Authorization of this product for use by federal regulators is expected later this week.
“As more vaccine is received, we will continue to expand our H1N1 immunization program to all those who will benefit from immunization,” said Dr. Arlene King, Ontario’s chief medical officer of health.
“By Christmas, we should have enough vaccine for everyone who needs and wants it,” she pledged.
