Roll up your sleeves
H1N1 flu vaccinations for Manitobans start Monday
By PAUL TURENNE, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 22nd October 2009, 7:46am
Manitobans can begin receiving vaccinations against the H1N1 flu virus on Monday.
The federal government officially approved the vaccine for use in Canada yesterday, and shortly thereafter the province announced its plans to roll out enough doses of it to stick a needle in the arm of each and every Manitoban who is so inclined.
"The clinics will offer the vaccine free of charge to all Manitobans who need or want it," Health Minister Theresa Oswald said yesterday.
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has a contract to produce about 50 million doses of the pandemic vaccine at its facility in Ste-Foy, Que., to be distributed across Canada in batches. Manitoba Health has identified a three-tiered priority list for administering that vaccine.
Those who should get the vaccine first, because they're most at risk, include children between six months and five years old, aboriginals, anyone living in a remote area, and people with chronic medical conditions, among other groups.
The province has also listed pregnant women among that first group, but that comes with an asterisk.
The H1N1 vaccine contains adjuvants -- compounds that boost the immune system's response to vaccine. Though there is no evidence that its unsafe for pregnant women, Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba's chief public health officer, does suggest they wait for an unadjuvanted batch if possible, out of an abundance of caution.
The problem is, those batches won't be here for a few weeks yet, so Kettner suggests pregnant women speak with doctors or nurses to determine when to get the vaccine and which one to get.
The second priority group, whose turn is likely a few weeks down the road, includes people who work with pigs or poultry and people who are critical to delivering "the essentials of life," which could include everyone from water plant workers to snowplow drivers.
The third and final group is basically everyone else.
"We ask Manitobans to respect this priority as they make plans to get the vaccine," Oswald said. "We want to ensure the individuals who will benefit most from the vaccine receive it first.
"You will get the vaccine if you need or want it, just perhaps not in the first week."
It's unknown how long it will take to move through the different priority groups, but Oswald said the government will make that clear when the time comes.
"We intend to be advertising the heck out of this thing," she said.
The regional health authorities are responsible for the dates and locations of immunization clinics. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has yet to announce its H1N1 vaccine clinic plans.
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TOP PRIORITY
Priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine:
- Children six months to five years old
- Aboriginals
- Pregnant women
- Health care workers and first responders
- Those living in remote areas
- Those with weakened immune systems and their caregivers
- People younger than 65 with chronic medical conditions
- 'Disadvantaged' people such as the homeless
- Single parents, sole caregivers of dependants
- Those who live with or care for infants
Source: Manitoba Health
H1N1 flu vaccinations for Manitobans start Monday
By PAUL TURENNE, SUN MEDIA
Last Updated: 22nd October 2009, 7:46am
Manitobans can begin receiving vaccinations against the H1N1 flu virus on Monday.
The federal government officially approved the vaccine for use in Canada yesterday, and shortly thereafter the province announced its plans to roll out enough doses of it to stick a needle in the arm of each and every Manitoban who is so inclined.
"The clinics will offer the vaccine free of charge to all Manitobans who need or want it," Health Minister Theresa Oswald said yesterday.
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline has a contract to produce about 50 million doses of the pandemic vaccine at its facility in Ste-Foy, Que., to be distributed across Canada in batches. Manitoba Health has identified a three-tiered priority list for administering that vaccine.
Those who should get the vaccine first, because they're most at risk, include children between six months and five years old, aboriginals, anyone living in a remote area, and people with chronic medical conditions, among other groups.
The province has also listed pregnant women among that first group, but that comes with an asterisk.
The H1N1 vaccine contains adjuvants -- compounds that boost the immune system's response to vaccine. Though there is no evidence that its unsafe for pregnant women, Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba's chief public health officer, does suggest they wait for an unadjuvanted batch if possible, out of an abundance of caution.
The problem is, those batches won't be here for a few weeks yet, so Kettner suggests pregnant women speak with doctors or nurses to determine when to get the vaccine and which one to get.
The second priority group, whose turn is likely a few weeks down the road, includes people who work with pigs or poultry and people who are critical to delivering "the essentials of life," which could include everyone from water plant workers to snowplow drivers.
The third and final group is basically everyone else.
"We ask Manitobans to respect this priority as they make plans to get the vaccine," Oswald said. "We want to ensure the individuals who will benefit most from the vaccine receive it first.
"You will get the vaccine if you need or want it, just perhaps not in the first week."
It's unknown how long it will take to move through the different priority groups, but Oswald said the government will make that clear when the time comes.
"We intend to be advertising the heck out of this thing," she said.
The regional health authorities are responsible for the dates and locations of immunization clinics. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has yet to announce its H1N1 vaccine clinic plans.
---
TOP PRIORITY
Priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine:
- Children six months to five years old
- Aboriginals
- Pregnant women
- Health care workers and first responders
- Those living in remote areas
- Those with weakened immune systems and their caregivers
- People younger than 65 with chronic medical conditions
- 'Disadvantaged' people such as the homeless
- Single parents, sole caregivers of dependants
- Those who live with or care for infants
Source: Manitoba Health
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