36 Percent Get H1N1 Shot

Peter McIntyre Friday, 18 December 2009 16:19 107.5 KISSFM

Close to 300,000 people in the Interior Health region got an H1N1 flu shot over the last two months. That works out to 36 percent of the population. The last of nearly 300 public vaccine clinics is being held at the Vernon health centre until 7 tonight. Interior Health's medical health officer Dr Paul Hasselbeck says among the groups that did not come out in droves were young single adults. "That are very sociable individuals and are actually at very high risk, as well as the population that has older families." At the other end of the spectrum, Hasselbeck says they saw a lot of parents with young children get the vaccine. Hasselbeck says the diminished threat of the virus likely was a factor why more people didn't get the shot.However, he was pleased with the 36 percent turnout. "In the Interior we have done extremely well and certainly better than other health authorities in BC in terms of reaching out and engaging the population, and getting reasonably good response to the vaccine." Anyone who still wants a shot can contact their nearest health centre to arrange an appointment.
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Don Quixote Note. MLA Eric Foster has proven to be more popular than the H1N1 Vaccine.
2009 Official Election Results

Eric Bailey Foster

BC Liberal Party

9,015

37.27%

H1N1 Clinics End December 18

Peter McIntyre Tuesday, 08 December 2009 14:13107.5 KISSFM:

Interior Health says the last H1N1 flu clinics in the region will be Friday December 18. The health agency says 250,000 people in their service area have been immunized, which is 35 percent of the population. Senior Medical Health Officer Dr Andrew Larder says anyone who hasn't got the shot, is encouraged to do so. "The clinics are not as busy as they were, so it makes sense to shift our focus back to providing our regular services in Public Health. Vaccine will still be available at health units and many doctor's offices and pharmacies." There's H1N1 clinics in Vernon this week at the Prestige Hotel Wednesday from 1pm to 8pm, the Rec Centre Auditorium Friday from 1 to 8 and at Wesbild Centre Saturday from 10 to 4.

Meantime,three more people have died in B-C after getting the H-1-N-1 flu and another 32 people had severe cases of the flu in the last week. That's a sharp decline since the week before when eight deaths and 93 hospitalizations were reported. The death toll across the province since April is now 47, with 40 of the victims having suffered from underlying medical conditions while five had none and two cases are still under investigation. The number of people with severe cases of the flu in B-C has now reached one thousand-and-nine since April.

Flu Clinics

Written by Peter McIntyre Monday, 30 November 2009 07:26

Interior Health continues to provide plenty of opportunities for North Okanagan residents to get an H1N1 flu shot. There are six clinics scheduled for this week including four in Vernon. Today, its at the Schubert centre from 1 to 8.

BREAKING NEWS: Vernon vaccination clinic added for Saturday

November 20, 2009 10:00 AM Morning Star:

Interior Health has announced Friday that the combination flu clinics providing H1N1 vaccination to anyone six months or older within Interior Health that needs or wants it, as well as the seasonal flu shot to those 65 years and older and those at risk of health complications from the seasonal flu will expand in several Interior cities.

The expansion will take effect tomorrow (Saturday). A clinic will be held at Okanagan College from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“Many of our clinics this week have not been running at full capacity, so it is only fair to open up the eligibility criteria for H1N1 vaccine to everyone that wants it”, says IH Senior Medical Health Officer, Dr. Andrew Larder. “We do not want to have vaccine sitting in our fridges. Our goal is to get the H1N1 vaccine into as many arms as possible.” To help meet the expected increase in demand and reach people that are busy during work or school hours, many of Interior Health’s flu clinics are being scheduled into the evening and on weekends.

WEEKEND CLINICS IN THE NORTH OKANAGAN:

FRIDAY:Enderby Enderby Seniors Complex 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

SATURDAY:Vernon Okanagan College – Vernon Campus 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

To Find the Clinic Nearest You: Details about times, dates and locations of the clinic nearest you the following week – where you can get both the H1N1 vaccine and a seasonal flu shot – will be posted by end of day Wednesday at:

Flu Clinic Locator at www.immunizebc.ca

HealthLink BC, dial 8-1-1, available 24 hours a day

Your local Public Health Centre.

For the week of Nov. 23, people living in communities where there will not be a mass clinic nearby, are directed to attend the nearest clinic to them or check with their family physician or walk-in clinics to see if they have vaccine available.

More Eligible For H1N1 Vaccine

107.5 Kiss FM Friday, 13 November 2009

More British Columbians will be eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccine beginning Monday, Nov. 16 - including first responders, healthy children, seniors with chronic health conditions and additional health care workers.

In addition to pregnant women, children six months to under five years,front-line health care workers, those in remote and isolated communities and those under 65 with chronic health conditions, people in the following groups will be eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccine in B.C. beginning Monday:

* People 65 years of age and over with chronic health conditions.
* Healthy children from five years to 18 years inclusive.
* Health care workers delivering acute care, long term care, home care,
and public health services.
* First responders (police, firefighters, paramedics).

Click HERE for a full list of next week's clinics.

Interior Health Announces H1N1 Vaccine Plan

Written by 107.5 Kiss FM Thursday, 22 October 2009 10:28

With the announcement of the approval of the H1N1 vaccine, plans for adding H1N1 clinics throughout Interior Health kicked into high gear today.

The first clinics get underway next week in three locations with the rest starting the week of November 2 as local facilities are booked and staff and volunteers are organized to help run the clinics.

"We will be receiving our H1N1 vaccine in smaller batches, more frequently," reports Dr. Andrew Larder, Senior Medical Health Officer for Interior Health. "That's why we are offering the vaccine to those that will benefit the most from its use first - those people at greater risk of serious health complications from H1N1."

The following is a list of the highest risk groups and we recommend that they receive their vaccinations first:

• Pregnant women in the second half of pregnancy in communities where H1N1 influenza is actively circulating. NOTE: once nonadjuvanted vaccine is available, it should be used preferentially in this group, and offered regardless of local circulation of H1N1 influenza
• Persons under age 65 with chronic conditions
• Persons residing in rural and remote communities, including First Nations

Starting the week of Nov. 2, the following groups will then be eligible to also get their shot:

• Children 6 months to less than 5 years (59 months)
• Healthcare workers, who are involved with the pandemic response of delivery of essential health services.
• Household contacts and care providers of infants <>

In mid-November, after the priority groups have had the opportunity to get immunized, the clinics will be open to anyone who needs or wants an H1N1 vaccine, free of charge.

The H1N1 clinics will be held jointly with the seasonal flu clinics currently underway. When it's recommended for people to get their H1N1 shot, they will now be able to get a seasonal flu shot at the same time, if they are eligible.

"We are also recommending that those eligible to receive both their H1N1 vaccine and their seasonal flu shot get them at the same time," adds Dr. Larder.

Seasonal Flu Clinics Expand to Include Those at Risk

In addition, to the new H1N1 clinics, the seasonal flu clinics are also expanding to offer the free vaccine to anyone who has been eligible in past years, not just those over 65 years. This list includes:

• People 65 years and older and their caregivers/household contacts
• Children and adults with chronic health conditions and their household contacts
• Children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years) with conditions treated for long periods of time with Acetylsalicylic acid and their household contacts
• Healthy children age 6-23 months
• Household contacts and caregivers of infants age 0-23 months
• Pregnant women who will be in their third trimester during influenza season and their household contacts
• Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities
• Health care and other care providers in facilities and community settings who are capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk of influenza complications
• People who work with live poultry and/or swine.

"H1N1 is by far the most predominant flu circulating this fall," says Dr. Larder. "Getting your flu shot will help protect you and those around you. In addition, we also continue to encourage everyone to practice safe hygiene: cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze, wash your hands frequently and stay home if you are sick."

The first clinics start in three communities that have the supplies and the staff ready to go. These start October 29^th in Vernon, Creston and 100 Mile House on October 29^th and 30^th. The majority of clinics in the rest of IH will get underway the week of November 2^nd.

Details about times, dates and locations of the clinic nearest you, when available, will be posted on the website and at:

• www.interiorhealth.ca
• www.immunizebc.ca
• HealthLink BC, dial 8-1-1, open 24/7
• Your local Public Health Centre

H1N1 vaccine rollout starts next week

Jeff Nagel - BC Local News Published: October 21, 2009 11:00 AM

The biggest mass vaccination campaign in B.C. history will begin next week, when high priority groups will start to be innoculated against swine flu.B.C. now has 230,000 doses of H1N1 influenza vaccine and they'll go first to people under 65 with chronic risk conditions, pregnant women and all people, including First Nations, who live in remote or isolated communities.

The following week, at the start of November, vaccinations will open up to children aged six months to five years, health care workers and household contacts or care providers for infants under six months or people who are immuno-compromised.

In the second week of November, the H1N1 vaccine is expected to be made available to everyone.

Provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall urged those fearful of H1N1 to wait for their turn in priority and not to attempt to get the vaccine ahead of schedule."I would ask healthy members of the public to stand back and allow those who can benefit most to obtain the vaccine first," he said.Kendall said there will be enough for everyone in B.C.

Plans for the vaccine's provincial rollout came as federal government officials approved its use Wednesday morning.B.C. will also now allow vaccine recipients to get both H1N1 vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine at the same time – one shot in each arm.Originally, health authorities had planned to shelve the seasonal flu vaccine after dispensing it to the highest priority patients this month and shift their attention to H1N1.Kendall said there's now expert opinion that the two vaccines can be given simultaneously, rather than at least a few weeks apart as originally though.

The doses now arriving are adjuvanted vaccine, meaning they contain compounds that boost the immune system's response and allow smaller amounts of the active vaccine ingredient to be used in each dose. That has helped Canada produce more H1N1 vaccine and ensure there will be enough for everyone who wants it. An unadjuvanted version of the vaccine that's considered safer for pregnant women is expected to be available in a few weeks. But those who are in the second half of pregnancy, considered at high risk of severe illness from H1N1, are urged not to wait and to quickly get the adjuvanted vaccine."The risk of contracting H1N1 and developing a complication if you're pregnant far outweighs any possible theoretical risk from and adjuvanted vaccine," Kendall said.Children under 10 years old are to receive two half doses of the vaccine given three weeks apart.

Concern about both the use of adjuvanted vaccine and the presence of minute amounts of mercury in the vaccine have fanned fears among some people. "If you google H1N1, most of what comes up is conspiracy theory paranoia that this is a government plot to kill you," Kendall said. "It's not true. "He said extensive safety precautions are in place to ensure safety but expects some "paranoid" people will refuse it. "We would not be recommending a vaccine we did not think was safe," he said."We will not convince everybody, but I think the number of people who are skeptical remains small."Kendall estimated at least 10 per cent of the population will eventually be infected by H1N1.

Health care workers are encouraged and expected to get H1N1 vaccinations to avoid them infecting at-risk patients, officials say, but it will not be made mandatory.The vaccine will be available from many family doctors, medical clinics, hospital-based public health clinics and even many pharmacists, who have been approved for the first time to vaccinate people.It's normal to have sore, swollen area where flu vaccine is given, and officials say some recipients may experience muscle ache, but that should end within a few days.

For more information on H1N1 and where to get vaccinated, see the flu clinic locator at www.immunizebc.ca or call your public health unit.