H1N1 clinics underway

Posted By NICKI CRUICKSHANK

Posted 24 days ago

If you're not high-risk, don't expect to get an H1N1 flu shot at Barrie clinics this week.

That's a message the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit wants to get out to the public as they open their vaccine clinics only to those with the most urgent need for vaccinations.

"At this point, we'll be focusing on the people at the highest risk of contracting the virus," said Dr. Charles Gardner, the health unit's medical officer of health. "It's important that the public understand what these high-risk groups are, and (we) ask that if they don't fall into one of those categories, they wait a couple of weeks to try and get the shot."

Those residents considered to be high risk include: anyone under age 65 with chronic medical illnesses, pregnant women, children between the ages of six months to five years old, health-care providers and care providers of high-risk patients.

Starting today, the health unit will be offering six H1N1 vaccination clinics five days this week to accommodate those groups, and Gardner said staff and volunteers are "as prepared as we're going to be" for the potentially overwhelming volume of residents vying for the shot today.

"We dealt with H1N1 in the spring, and we've had all summer to prepare for the vaccinations," Gardner said. "We know some of the challenges other health units are facing with wait times and having enough vaccine to go around.

"We're expecting large numbers, and we're setting up a registration system to help with the lineups," he added. "People will be asked up front which high-risk category they fall under, and if they are determined to be a risk, they'll be booked into a time slot. They will be told to come back at that time so they aren't standing in a lineup."

As of Oct. 30, Gardner said the health unit has received 78,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine. Of that, 40,000 doses were distributed among family physicians and another 4,000 doses went to area hospitals and emergency medical service facilities.

"The remaining 38,000 doses we kept to administer ourselves and we're in a good position to potentially serve that many people's needs in the high-risk groups," Gardner said.

But, due to news of production issues with the vaccine, the health unit will likely see significantly less of the serum next week.

"We'll have to determine if we have to cancel some clinics," Gardner said. "There'll be a diminished supply after this week, about one quarter of what we have this week."

Along with supply-and-demand concerns, Gardner said the health unit has taken the safety of pregnant women getting the vaccine into consideration.

Women past their 20th week of pregnancy are permitted to receive the shot, but Gardner said he understands some of those women are apprehensive about their safety.

"We do understand there's some anxiety surrounding the vaccine, but I feel confident that pregnant women would more than benefit from getting it," he said. "Some people claim to feel vaguely unwell, but the main side effect is a sore arm."

For those who aren't considered high risk, but want to be vaccinated, contact your family doctor to see if they are administering the shot.

"Physicians can give the shot, but not all family doctors are offering that service," Gardner said.

ncruickshank @ thebarrieexaminer.com

- - -

Barrie/Innisfil H1N1 clinic schedule

H1N1 vaccine clinics begin this morning in Simcoe County. Officials from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit are asking that only those considered high-risk seek out a shot this week. Below is a list of clinics in Barrie and Innisfil:

Nov. 3, 4, 5-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m., Barrie by the Bay, 80 Bradford Street, Unit 100 (use entrance No. 1)

Nov. 6-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m., Stroud Innisfil Community Centre, 2nd floor (7883 Yonge St., corner of Yonge and Victoria streets) Nov. 7-- 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. Barrie by the Bay Nov. 10-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. Barrie by the Bay Nov. 13-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. Barrie by the Bay Nov. 14-- 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. Barrie By the Bay Nov. 17, 18, 19-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. Barrie by the Bay

Nov. 20-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. Stroud Innisfil Community Centre, 2nd floor Nov. 21-- 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. Barrie by the Bay Nov. 24, 25, 26-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. Barrie by the Bay

Nov. 27-- 10 a. m. to 8 p. m. Stroud Innisfil Community Centre, 2nd floor Nov. 28-- 10 a. m. to 5 p. m. Barrie by the Bay