More than 200,000 residents regionally have received H1N1 shots
Combined H1N1 and Seasonal flu clinics have been running steady across IH for a month. This week, 57 clinics are being held in 43 communities across our region. Now that everyone over the age of 6 months is eligible for the H1N1 vaccine, the number of people getting vaccinated is rising quickly.
“I am really pleased that we’ve reached this benchmark and I hope people that still haven’t been vaccinated will go to a mass clinic in their community to get their shot”, says IH Senior Medical Health Officer, Dr. Andrew Larder. “Although the current wave of H1N1 activity seems to have reached a peak, it’s still important for everyone to be immunized. We might see a resurgence of H1N1 infections, or we may see increasing circulation of the regular seasonal strains of influenza. The best way to minimize a third wave of H1N1 flu virus, or prevent it altogether, is for as many people as possible to be vaccinated.”
Interior Health would like to thank the physician partners and pharmacists that are also vaccinating clients.
“We simply do not have the nursing or Public Health staff to offer clinics in every single community within IH every week”, according to Dr. Larder. “We would not have been able to reach the 200,000 mark and beyond if it weren’t for the doctors and pharmacists assisting us.”
Since the eligibility criteria opened up a week ago, attendance at clinics in most locations has been steady. Some of the bigger centres, like Kelowna and Kamloops, have had line-ups earlier in the day but thin out later in the day.
H1N1 Vaccine Dosing for Kids:
For healthy children between 3 and 9 years of age, a single half-dose of adjuvanted H1N1 flu vaccine provides sufficient level of protection from the H1N1 flu virus.
Both H1N1 and seasonal influenza vaccines are also available from many physicians and walk-in clinics, and in the coming weeks from some pharmacies.
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