Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

September 22, 2010

FLU VACCINE UNIVERSALLY AVAILABLE THIS FLU SEASON: OSWALD

? ? ?
Province Launches Annual Vaccine Program Encouraging Manitobans to Get the Shot, Not the Flu

Manitobans are encouraged to Get the Shot, Not the Flu to protect themselves and the people they care for, as part of the 2010 provincial annual influenza vaccine program, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.

?For this year, the flu vaccine will be available at no charge to all Manitobans, not just those in high‑risk groups,? said Oswald. ?An annual flu shot helps to limit the spread of the flu and immunizations are a safe, effective way to protect the health of all Manitobans and their families.?

The annual Get the Shot, Not the Flu campaign will soon be underway across Manitoba. This fall?s seasonal flu shot will immunize against the most common strains of influenza as determined by the World Health Organization. This year that will include the H1N1 strain. The vaccine is approved by Health Canada and will be provided at no charge by Manitoba Health for everyone for the 2010-11 season.

People need the flu shot every year because protection provided by the vaccine is usually for one influenza season, said the minister.

An annual flu shot is especially important for Manitobans at increased risk of serious illness from the flu, their caregivers and close contacts, Oswald said. They include:
? seniors aged 65 years or older,
? residents of personal-care homes and long-term care facilities,
? children aged six months to four years of age,
? those with chronic illness,
? pregnant woman,
? health-care workers and first responders,
? individuals of Aboriginal ancestry, and
? people who are severely overweight or obese.


Manitobans can be immunized at public-health clinics or by their primary health-care provider throughout the province commencing in October. More information on specific clinic dates and locations is available from local public-health offices.

The viruses in the vaccine change each year based on international surveillance and scientists? estimations about which types and strains will circulate in a given year. Last year, H1N1 flu was a new, emerging strain and was declared a pandemic. This season, it is part of the regular seasonal flu immunization for Canada.

Influenza is more severe than a cold. Contracting influenza can result in severe complications such as pneumonia, hospitalization or even death. Every year, it?s estimated that between 4,000 and 8,000 Canadians, mostly seniors, die from complications relating to the flu but not the flu itself.

Influenza is generally spread from person to person by sneezing, coughing and other direct physical contact. Symptoms may include fever and chills, cough, headaches, muscle aches, runny nose, sore throat and exhaustion.

Manitobans aged 65 and over, anyone living in a personal-care home or long-term care facility and people two to 64 years of age with specific health conditions are also eligible to get a no-cost pneumococcal shot at the same time they get their flu shot. This vaccination can prevent pneumonia, blood infection and meningitis caused by pneumococcal bacteria.

More information about flu shots and influenza symptoms is available at www.gov.mb.ca/health/flu/index.html.

http://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?archive=&item=9760

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Officials still urging Manitobans to get H1N1 shot

By: Staff Writer
14/01/2010 2:34 PM

WINNIPEG - Manitoba officials warned Thursday that up to half of the Manitoba population may still be at risk of getting the H1N1 flu or infecting others with the disease.

While more than 442,000 H1N1 shots have been given, that only represents approximately 37 per cent of Manitobans, officials said. About one-quarter of men aged 19 to 64 and pregnant women have been immunized.

Although the rate of hospitalizations has slowed, the virus is still circulating and continues to make Manitobans sick, officials said, adding that more cases are expected and it?s possible there will be a third wave of the H1N1 flu virus.

Since Christmas, the Cadham Provincial Laboratory has reported 27 positive H1N1 tests to Manitoba Health, including six new cases over the last week.

Since the second wave of H1N1 flu began Oct. 6, the lab has reported a total of 1,773 positive H1N1 tests. There has been four deaths connected to the virus since Oct. 6.

Health authorities are now offering flu clinics in larger workplaces, including Crown corporations and private businesses, for employees and their families.

The H1N1 flu shot is also available in regional clinics, public health offices and through many doctors? offices. As of Thursday morning, a total of 172 doctors? offices have ordered more than 32,000 doses of the vaccine.

Manitobans can call their regional health authority or physician to find out where the shot is available.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/breakingnews/H1N1-shots-to-be-offered-at-workplaces-81552127.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Manitoba may donate excess H1N1 vaccine abroad

Winnipeg Free Press: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 6:02 PM
H1N1 vaccine
Photo Credit: Global News, Winnipeg

WINNIPEG ? Health officials in Manitoba are considering donating excess H1N1 vaccine to other countries and building a stockpile in case additional waves of the flu strike here.

Manitoba Health is not planning to reopen large-scale mass vaccination clinics, even though Calgary reopened three clinics this week to pick up any stragglers who missed getting a shot before Christmas.

Manitoba committed last summer to buy 1.3 million doses of vaccine, but less than 35 per cent of Manitobans were vaccinated as of mid-December.

The vaccine has a shelf life of 18 months. Canada ordered 50.4 million doses from manufacturer GSK and also bought 200,000 doses from Australia at a total price tag of $402.5 million.

The federal government is covering 60 per cent of the cost, with the provinces and territories picking up the rest.

Canada is on the hook to pay for all 50 million doses.

http://www.globalregina.com/health/Manitoba+donate+excess+H1N1+vaccine+abroad/2409002/story.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Final day for Winnipeg H1N1 clinics

Last Updated: Friday, December 11, 2009 | 9:33 AM

Friday is the final day that mass swine flu vaccination clinics will be open in Winnipeg.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority opened 12 clinics when the immunization campaign against the H1N1 influenza A virus that causes swine flu started Oct. 26.

But the number of people showing up at the clinics has dropped significantly in recent weeks. Whereas 13,000 to 16,000 people were being vaccinated daily during the peak of the campaign, just 367 got the shot by midday on Thursday.

The slowdown prompted the closure of four clinics at the end of November and then another four on Dec. 7. The final four will be shut down after Friday.


Those four Winnipeg clinics, open from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m., are listed below:

• Grant Park Shopping Centre (1120 Grant Ave.).
• Indo-Canadian Arts & Cultural Centre (479 St. Mary's Road).
• Garden City Shopping Centre (2305 McPhillips St.).
• St. Paul the Apostle Parish Centre (2400 Portage Ave.).

Individuals who have not yet received their H1N1 shot, or seasonal influenza vaccine, can call and book an appointment at one of a handful of smaller community-based clinics the health authority is holding starting on Dec. 14.

The number to call is 204-788-8004 Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The vaccine is also available at the offices of several family doctors
across Manitoba.

As of Wednesday, nearly 420,000 shots had been given across the province, accounting for about 35 per cent of the provincial population, according to Manitoba health officials. Of those, about 245,000 have received the shot in Winnipeg.

Since the second wave of H1N1 flu began on Oct. 6, Manitoba has recorded 1,697 lab-confirmed cases of swine flu.

There have been three deaths attributed to the H1N1 virus in that time.
Vaccination clinics outside the city are listed on Manitoba Health's H1N1 website.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/12/11/mb-vaccination-clinics-last-day-winnipeg.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Last week for H1N1 vaccine clinics...


CJOB News Team reporting
12/7/2009

This week will be the last for Winnipeg's mass H1N1 immunization clinics...

Four clinics will be open this week, including Grant Park and Garden City Shopping Centres, the Indo-Canadian Arts and Cultural Centre at 479 St.Mary's Road, and the St. Paul the Apostle Parish Centre on 2400 Portage Avenue.

Take note that the St. Paul the Apostle Parish Centre which will be closed today.

Clinic hours are Monday to Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 pm., and on Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The clinics will close Friday; the vaccine will then be available at selected doctor's offices and clinics.

http://www.cjob.com/News/Local/Story.aspx?id=1172606

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

<CITE>By CBC News, cbc.ca, </CITE>Updated: December 1, 2009 3:36 PM

Winnipeg closing four more H1N1 clinics



Four more of Winnipeg's swine flu vaccination clinics are being shut down as of next Monday, leaving just four of the original 12 still operating.

Provincial health officials also announced Tuesday that the H1N1 vaccine is now being delivered to doctors' offices across Manitoba where patients can get inoculated.

"Getting a flu shot in a doctor's office is a familiar process for many people, and now that we have enough vaccine we're offering this option to physicians and Manitobans," Health Minister Theresa Oswald said.

"We're putting our plan in place and have asked doctors who want to offer the vaccine to place their order. We have already begun repackaging and distributing our most recent vaccine shipment to these clinics."

Manitobans should contact their physician or regional health authority to get up-to-date information on where the flu shot is available, Oswald added.

One-third of Manitobans vaccinated

As of Sunday, more than 357,000 Manitobans had been vaccinated for H1N1, according to provincial health officials. Winnipeg's clinics tallied 215,731 shots as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has operated 12 clinics since the mass immunization campaign started Oct. 26. But the number of people showing up at the clinics has dropped significantly.

Whereas 13,000 to 16,000 people were being vaccinated daily during the peak of the campaign, just 881 got the shot Tuesday by midday.
Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer, said Tuesday it is vital for people who have not yet received the shot to get it as soon as possible.

'Too early to get complacent'

"It is too early to get complacent ? because we don't yet know what will happen when the weather gets colder and more people travel in and out of Manitoba," he said.

The schedule for the WRHA clinics is as follows:

- St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church (2255 Grant Ave.). Final week.

- Portage Place Shopping Centre (393 Portage Ave.). Final week.

- U of M, Fort Garry Campus (Room 210, 2nd floor University Centre). Final week.

- Holy Eucharist Parish Centre (460 Munroe Ave.). Final week.

- Grant Park Shopping Centre (1120 Grant Ave.). Open next week.

- Indo-Canadian Arts & Cultural Centre (479 St. Mary's Road). Open next week.

- Garden City Shopping Centre (2305 McPhillips St.). Open next week.

- St. Paul the Apostle Parish Centre (2400 Portage Ave.). Open next week.

The clinics at Grant Park, the Indo-Canadian Arts & Cultural Centre and the Garden City Shopping Centre will be open Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Vaccination clinics outside the city are listed on Manitoba Health's H1N1 website, accessible by clicking the link at the top right of this page.

External Links
Manitoba Health: H1N1

http://news.ca.msn.com/local/manitoba/article.aspx?cp-documentid=22772080

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

4 H1N1 clinics closing in Winnipeg

Last Updated: Friday, November 27, 2009 | 2:46 PM CT

CBC News


There seem to be no more lineups at Winnipeg's H1N1 clinics, prompting officials to announce they will close four of the 12 vaccination clinics starting Monday. (CBC)

Four of Winnipeg's swine flu vaccination clinics are being shut down as of Nov. 30.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) has operated 12 clinics in the city since the mass immunization campaign started on Oct. 26. But the number of people showing up at the clinics has dropped significantly since then.

Whereas 13,000 to 16,000 people were being vaccinated daily during the peak of the campaign, just 1,479 got the flu shot on Friday as of mid-day.

The shot targets the H1N1 influenza A virus that causes swine flu.

The total number of people vaccinated in the city since the start of the campaign is now 199,520.

Provincewide, more than 320,000 Manitobans have been vaccinated.


Starting Monday, the WRHA will be holding vaccination clinics only at the following eight locations:

• St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 2255 Grant Ave.
• Portage Place Shopping Centre, 393 Portage Ave.
• U of M, Fort Garry Campus, Rm 210, 2nd floor University Centre.
• Holy Eucharist Parish Centre, 460 Munroe Ave.
• Grant Park Shopping Centre, 1120 Grant Ave.
• St. Paul the Apostle Parish Centre, 2400 Portage Ave.
• Indo-Canadian Arts & Cultural Centre, 479 St. Mary's Rd.
• Garden City Shopping Centre, 2305 McPhillips St.

The following clinics will be shut as of Monday:

• St. Joseph's Parish Hall, 515 College Ave. (Point Douglas ).
• Centre culturel franco-manitobain, 340 Provencher Blvd. (St. Boniface).
• DeFehr Logistics Building, 770 Pandora Ave. East (Transcona).
• Fred Douglas Lodge, 1275 Burrows Ave. (Inkster).

These three city clinics will also be open on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.:

• Grant Park Shopping Centre, 1120 Grant Ave.
• The Indo Canadian Arts and Cultural Centre, 479 St. Mary's Rd.
• Garden City Shopping Centre, 2305 McPhillips St.

Locations of H1N1 clinics outside the city are listed on Manitoba Health's H1N1 website.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/11/27/mb-h1n1-clinics-close-winnipeg.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Vaccination clinics could soon close

Worst of outbreak almost over, experts decide

By: Jen Skerritt
27/11/2009 1:00 AM

?I don?t know what period we?re at in the game, but the game is definitely not over? -- Chief medical officer Dr. Joel Kettner

Inside Winnipeg's H1N1 war room, a round-table of flu experts decided
Thursday it's nearly time to wind down the large-scale attack against influenza.

It's not the worst-case scenario pandemic planners braced for after the hard hit Manitoba suffered last spring, but that's good news to everyone at the city's flu command centre -- the small office hub on Hargrave Street where big decisions about vaccination clinics and regional flu plans have been made since the end of October.

Dr. Sande Harlos, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority officer of health, said she suspects the peak of the second wave of H1N1 has hit and that it's unlikely a flood of severe cases will surface in the coming weeks.

The number of people on ventilators with severe illness has slowly decreased, along with the high number of children with flu symptoms visiting Children's Hospital emergency, Harlos said. As of Thursday, there were four people in intensive care with H1N1, including two people on ventilators -- two fewer people than earlier this week and a big drop from the 11 people on ventilators a few weeks ago.

Health experts agree that H1N1 will continue to infect people, but that early signs indicate the worst may be over.

"We estimate we're at peak or possibly a little past peak and it's unlikely things are going to get worse," Harlos said.
"We're seeing a lot of cases, but fewer of the severe cases."

Four city flu clinics -- including St. Boniface, Point Douglas, Inkster and Transcona -- could close as early as next week, as city health officials plan to scale back staff at mass immunization clinics in the hopes of shutting them down in the coming weeks.

Milton Sussman, chief operating officer of community health services for the WRHA, said the plan is to transfer vaccinations over to doctor's offices, and continue community outreach to those at risk of severe complications from H1N1 using things like mobile vaccination teams.

"I suspect in a couple of days we can tell (clinic staff) more definitively to stand down," Sussman said.

The behind-the-scenes discussions in Winnipeg's flu command centre came the same day Manitoba Health officials announced 703 additional cases of H1N1 were reported between Nov. 16 and 23, bringing the cumulative total to 1,246.

Chief medical officer Dr. Joel Kettner said that's evidence the virus is still circulating across the province and that all Manitobans who haven't been vaccinated should get the shot to protect against H1N1.

"I don't know what period we're at in the game, but the game is definitely not over," Kettner said, referring to where the second wave of H1N1 is at.
Kettner said it's possible that H1N1 will continue to circulate all winter, noting flu patterns are difficult to predict.

Back at the flu command centre, Winnipeg officials will try to figure out their next step.

Harlos thinks the severity of the second wave wasn't as bad as the first because it hit around the same time vaccine became available and people were able to build up more immunity. Last spring, Harlos said it took an average of six days from the time when someone had symptoms of H1N1 to the time they received Tamiflu.

This time, Harlos said much more Tamiflu was administered to lessen symptoms and speed up recovery.

Harlos said pandemic plans can be ramped up again if the number of severe cases intensifies or a third wave surfaces.

She and other officials say it's important people who haven't been vaccinated don't procrastinate and get the shot as soon as possible, since even mild forms of H1N1 cause a nasty flu.

"We will expect to see ongoing transmission (of flu)," Harlos said.
<!--1 $item-->

Clinics' tally

THE Winnipeg Regional Health Authority has vaccinated 197,015 people, including more than 8,000 on Thursday.

Video Link:

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/vaccination-clinics-could-soon-close-75722497.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Flu clinics open now

By: Staff Writer
19/11/2009 9:24 AM |

WINNIPEG ? H1N1 flu vaccine clinics are open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

Readers who receive the vaccine today can contact the Free Press (email city.desk@freepress.mb.ca) and tell us about your experience.

The following are clinic locations this week:

Assiniboine South: St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, 2255 Grant Ave.

Downtown: Portage Place Shopping Centre.

Fort Garry: University of Manitoba, Room 219, Multi Purpose Room, 2nd floor University Centre.

Inkster: Philippine-Canadian Centre of Manitoba, 737 Keewatin St.

Point Douglas: St. Joseph?s Parish Hall, 515 College Ave.

River East: Holy Eucharist Parish Centre, 460 Munroe Ave.

River Heights: Grant Park Shopping Centre.

St. Boniface: Centre culturel franco-manitobain, 340 Provencher Blvd.

St. James: St. Paul the Apostle Parish Centre, 2400 Portage Ave.

St. Vital: Indo-Canadian Arts and Cultural Centre, 479 St. Mary?s Road.

Seven Oaks: Garden City Shopping Centre

Transcona: DeFehr Furniture plant, 770 Pandora Ave. East.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/Flu-clinics-open-now-70466682.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Long lines frustrate people seeking flu shots in Manitoba

Last Updated: Saturday, November 14, 2009 | 4:57 PM CT

CBC News


A health-care worker fills a syringe with H1N1 flu vaccine. (John Woods/Canadian Press)

Hundreds of people stood in line for a swine flu vaccination shot at clinics in Winnipeg and Brandon on Saturday as strong demand continued for the preventative measure.

In Brandon, the regional health authority ran a clinic at the Town Centre shopping mall. The lineup was so long at one point Saturday morning that it stretched all the way through the shopping centre and out the door.

Officials said the line eased by early afternoon and they expected to give everyone a shot.

Winnipeg, with a population of 700,000, offered only two clinics on Saturday and in both locations, vaccination supplies were exhausted well before the scheduled closing time.While many people coped in the lineups, some with reading material to pass the time, others expressed frustration.

"I do work," Joy Mendoza told CBC News as she waited with her youngster. "So it would have been better if they had it in school, too.

Send a nurse there and ... they could get a third of the population just going in schools."

Mendoza was in line at a clinic at the Philippine Canadian Centre, which shut it doors at 3 p.m., an hour before it was scheduled to end. Health officials said they would only have enough supplies to provide a shot to people who were already in line.

The same thing happened at the second clinic on the University of Manitoba campus.

"I think it's been poorly run to this point in time," Laura Bishop told CBC News, as she stood in line waiting to get a shot for her two children. Bishop said there should have been more weekend clinics, and opened sooner.

She also questioned the continued use of a priority list.

"I think that everyone should have access to the shot at this point," Bishop suggested. "They've expanded the priority list, so why can't they expand it to everybody?"

Children aged six to 18 were recently added as a category to the Winnipeg Health Region's priority list.

The two Saturday clinics marked the first time a swine flu shot was being made available in Winnipeg on a weekend day.

Officials said 12 sites that have been offering vaccinations on weekdays will resume on Monday, using the region's updated priority list.

The Winnipeg Health Region reported that, as of 1 p.m. Saturday, 123,592 vaccinations had been delivered.

The region is also now using both of the vaccines approved by Health Canada, a regular one that everyone can take and a vaccine approved for pregnant women.

The regular Winnipeg clinics will be open Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/11/14/mb-line-ups-flu-shots-weekend-clinics-91114.html?ref=rss

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

2 Winnipeg H1N1 clinics open for weekend

First Saturday and Sunday openings

Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009 | 10:08 AM CT

CBC News


The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority is opening two clinics this weekend for H1N1 vaccinations. (CBC)

Two H1N1 flu vaccination clinics are being opened this weekend in Winnipeg.

It will be the first time since the mass immunization campaign started on Oct. 26 that clinics have opened on Saturday and Sunday.

Vaccinations will be done at the University of Manitoba, on the second floor of the University Centre, and at the Philippine Canadian Centre of Manitoba, at 737 Keewatin St. The clinics will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Winnipeg's 12 vaccination clinics reopened Thursday morning after being closed since last Friday evening due to a shortage of the product, but the province has since received several more batches.

That prompted health officials to expand the priority list of those who should get the shot before the general population. All children under the age of 18 were added to the list Thursday. Before then, only those aged six months to five years were considered at priority risk of becoming seriously ill.

100,000 cases in Manitoba

Health officials said Thursday the number of lab-confirmed cases of H1N1 in the province has spiked, with 225 new ones confirmed in the past week, bringing the total of recent cases to 291, in addition to roughly 900 confirmed cases from the spring outbreak of swine flu.

But Dr. Joel Kettner, the province's chief medical officer of health, said the actual number of Manitobans who have contracted the virus is likely 100,000.

He told CBC News on Friday that he has not released this number publicly before but feels confident doing so now.

He also stressed that the vast majority of illnesses have been very mild, and people don't bother to get tested.

There has been one death this fall attributed to complications from the illness. There were seven deaths in the spring outbreak.

More vaccine coming

This week the province received 36,500 doses of vaccine with adjuvant ? chemicals that boost a vaccine's effectiveness ?- and distributed them to regional health authorities. Provincial officials are expecting another 43,500 doses of adjuvanted vaccine next week.

In addition, Manitoba has received 9,200 doses of an Australian-made adjuvant-free vaccine for pregnant women, health officials said Thursday.

And 39,900 doses of a Canadian-made vaccine without an adjuvant have also arrived in the province. That vaccine has not yet been licensed but is expected to be soon, health officials said.

In preparation for that, the vaccine was shipped Thursday to the regional health authorities, so they have it on hand once the approval is given.



The province's priority list includes the following:

• Children six months to age 17.
• Anyone of aboriginal ancestry (First Nations, M?tis or Inuit).
• Disadvantaged individuals (for example, the homeless).
• People living in remote or isolated areas.
• People under 65 with a chronic medical condition or other risk including obesity, substance abuse or alcoholism.
• Anyone with a weakened immune system or those who live with or care for them.
• Those who live with or care for infants under six months old.
• Single parents or anyone solely responsible for a dependant.
• Health-care workers and medical first responders.
• Pregnant women.

Across the province, close to 200,000 shots have been given since clinics opened on Oct. 26.

As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, 106,302 people had received shots in Winnipeg. Clinics operated by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority are scheduled to run until Dec. 4.

Regular hours for the clinics are Monday to Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Locations of the Winnipeg clinics are on the map below. Clinics outside the city can be found by visiting Manitoba Health's H1N1 website by clicking the link on the top right of this story.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/11/13/mb-weekend-h1n1-clinics-winnipeg.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

School-aged children added to H1N1 flu-shot priority list

By: Staff Writer
11/11/2009 2:15 PM |

WINNIPEG - Manitoba children up to 18 years of age have been added to the H1N1 flu vaccination priority list.

Provincial health officials said the vaccine will be offered to all children because emergency rooms and doctors are seeing more kids with influenza-like symptoms, and because more kids are missing school because of illness.

"Providing H1N1 flu shots to school-age children should help reduce the spread of disease to others and help protect all family members who may be at risk. It should also reduce the risk of and help to address concern about severe illness and death in school-aged children," officials said Wednesday in a release.

Each regional health authority is adapting their H1N1 flu shot clinics to meet the needs of their population.

In Winnipeg, a satellite clinic will open Thursday evening at Children?s Hospital to ease the demands on the emergency room department. It will be staffed by a pediatrician and nursing staff Thursday and Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Children can also be vaccinated at any of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority clinics, which reopen Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m.
So far, more than 101,000 people have been vaccinated in the WRHA clinics.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/School-aged-children-added-to-H1N1-flu-shot-priority-list-69782812.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Winnipeg closes H1N1 clinics until next week

Vaccine shortage delays shots until next Thursday

Last Updated: Saturday, November 7, 2009 | 9:39 AM ET

CBC News


People in Winnipeg won't be able to get an H1N1 flu shot until next Thursday because of a vaccine shortage, the regional health authority announced late Friday.

The agency said it was out of vaccine and clinics scheduled for Monday and Tuesday will not open as planned. The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority does not run clinics on weekends.

It will also not open any clinics on the Nov. 11 Remembrance Day holiday.

As of noon Friday, the authority reported 96,422 people in Winnipeg had been vaccinated against the strain of H1N1 influenza A virus responsible for the current swine flu pandemic.

The authority said that when clinics reopen Thursday, the criteria for vaccination will be the same as they have been in recent days.

The priority groups are:

• Children between the ages of six months and five years
• People of aboriginal background.
• Disadvantaged people, such as the homeless.
• People from remote or isolated areas.
• People under 65 with a chronic medical condition or other risk factor.
• Anyone with a weakened immune system, and their caregiver.
• Anyone who cares for an infant under six months.
• Single parents or anyone solely responsible for a dependent.
• Health-care workers and first-responders.
• Pregnant women.

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/11/06/mb-winnipeg-vaccine-clinics-close.html

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Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Daycare workers shut out from swine flu shots

Decision based on flu's first wave, when child-care workers weren't hit hard, minister says

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 10:20 PM CT

CBC News


Children at daycares can easily pass along a cold or flu, say child-care workers, who are upset they aren't near the front of the line for H1N1 vaccinations. (CBC)


The Manitoba Childcare Association is chafing over provincial guidelines that leave daycare workers off the list of priority recipients for swine flu shots.

Excluding early childhood educators from the list of priority categories to get the H1N1 vaccine first doesn't make sense, the association said Wednesday.

Daycares are prime targets for influenza viruses and other communicable illnesses such as colds, said Pat Wege, the group's executive director.
Wege said that if children get sick, daycare staff will likely also be calling in sick, potentially causing the child-care system to screech to a halt.

'Clinics in daycares or schools could actually slow us down.'? Theresa Oswald, Manitoba health minister

She said she recently surveyed 100 Manitoba daycares, and one in five reported unusually high levels of absenteeism.

"It won't take many sick phone calls before the program is in trouble for the day," Wege said.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority expanded its priority list to 10 groups from four on Wednesday, but child-care workers weren't on it.

On the list are:

• Children aged six months to under five years old.
• Anyone of aboriginal ancestry.
• Disadvantaged individuals (for example, the homeless).
• People living in remote or isolated areas.
• People under 65 with a chronic medical condition or other risks, including severe obesity, substance abuse or alcoholism.
• Anyone with a weakened immune system or those who live with or care for them.
• Those who live with or care for infants under six months old.
• Single parents or anyone solely responsible for a dependent.
• Health-care workers and medical first responders.
• Pregnant women.

Carol Jones of the St. Germaine Daycare Centre in Winnipeg's St. Vital neighbourhood said not one of her 14 staff members has yet had a swine flu shot.

"It's too bad," she said, that daycare workers weren't made a priority. "Child care is an essential public service."

Wege said she thinks health officials should have held mass immunization clinics at provincial daycares to vaccinate children and staff at the same time.

But Manitoba Health Minister Theresa Oswald said this would have been too complicated to set up and schedule.

"The option that we are using right now in the mass clinics is actually proving to be very swift throughput of individuals," She said. "It is arguable that these clinics in daycares or schools could actually slow us down."

Oswald defended the decision by health officials to exclude daycare workers from the priority list.

"Our decision is based on sound medical science," she said. Childhood educators were not hit heavily by the first wave of H1N1 in the spring, she said.

Just under 1,500 Winnipeggers had been vaccinated by noon on Wednesday, bringing the cumulative total in the city to 78,265.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2009/11/04/man-daycare-workers-shots-h1n1.html

[Pathfinder]

Re: Manitoba - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Short wait at Winnipeg H1N1 clinics

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 12:32 PM CT

CBC News


The long lineups that plagued Winnipeg's H1N1 vaccination clinics last week are non-existent Wednesday.

The lack of a line at most of the 12 clinics in the city prompted the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority to publicly call on for those who want a shot ? and fall into one of the priority categories ? to come on down.

"There are very short, almost negligible lineups at almost all of our clinics. If someone is interested in one of those groups to come down and get vaccinated, that would be a great thing," said WRHA spokeswoman Heidi Graham.

At many of the clinics last week, the lineups stretched hundreds of people long, and it took more than three hours to get to the front in some locations.

On Monday of this week, the line at the River Heights clinic inside the Grant Park Shopping Centre was 500-strong by the time the doors opened at 9:30 a.m.

'We really want to get the word out because we know there has been lots of media reports about long lineups and so people may be staying away because they fear long lineups.'? Heidi Graham, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

The demand was driven by concerns about the vaccine supply after health officials stated that Manitoba was expecting significantly reduced supplies in the coming week.

On Tuesday, the clinics in Winnipeg and Brandon were closed due to the shortage.
But late Tuesday evening, the WRHA announced that all 12 clinics in the city would reopen for Wednesday.

A larger proportion of the vaccine was returned from occupational clinics, and less than initially anticipated was used Monday. A large number of those vaccinated Monday were children who require just a half-dose, Graham said.

As well, the WRHA started enforcing a strict screening process this week to make sure those in line fell into one of four priority groups.

With those measures, the WRHA counted 12,000 available doses for Wednesday with a shipment of 8,000 more doses expected later this week.

The health region also has approximately 4,300 doses of vaccine without adjuvant ? an additive that boosts a vaccine's effectiveness ? for pregnant women.

Clinics will continue to operate this week for as long as vaccine is available, Graham said.

"The clinics today started off with much less activity than they have in the past, so we really want to get the word out because we know there has been lots of media reports about long lineups and so people may be staying away because they fear long lineups," Graham said.


As a result of the low turnout on Wednesday, the WRHA decided to expand its priority list from four categories to 10:

• Children aged six months to five years.
• Anyone of aboriginal ancestry (First Nations, M?tis or Inuit).
• Disadvantaged individuals (for example, the homeless).
• People living in remote or isolated areas.
• People under 65 with a chronic medical condition or other risks, such as severe obesity, drug abuse or alcoholism.
• Anyone with a weakened immune system or those who live with or care for such people.
• Those who live with or care for infants younger than six months old.
• Single parents or anyone solely responsible for a dependant.
• Health-care workers and medical first responders.
• Pregnant women.

If people are in a priority group they should get inoculated as soon as possible because it takes about a week or so for the vaccine to take effect, Graham said.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/st...-winnipeg.html