Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
35% of us vaccinated for H1N1
Shot only available at doctors' offices now
By: Britt Harvey
17/12/2009
THE proportion of Manitobans vaccinated against H1N1 flu is on par with Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, slightly behind Saskatchewan and way behind the Atlantic provinces.
In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, about two-thirds of the population have already been vaccinated.
In Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario, it's closer to one-third. British Columbia sits at 40 per cent and Saskatchewan's 50 per cent leads the West.
Although Winnipeg's H1N1 mass vaccination clinics have now closed, the number of Manitobans getting the needle continues to steadily climb.
As of Dec. 15, more than 430,000 Manitobans had been vaccinated, about 35 per cent of the province's population.
"We're still seeing a number of people coming in to doctors' offices to get their vaccinations," said Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer.
He said rural and more sparsely populated communities were initially given higher priority, which might be one reason the Atlantic provinces had higher vaccine uptake.
Kettner would ideally like every eligible Manitoban to get vaccinated.
"I realize that Manitobans have a variety of different reasons for why they are choosing not to get the vaccine," Kettner said. "But this time of year, when people are indoors and meeting new people, it's even more important to get vaccinated."
He notes that a belief the vaccine can do more harm than good and a phobia of needles have kept some Manitobans away from the clinics.
With the worst of the cold winter season still ahead of us, Kettner warned the weather could cause a renewed spike in H1N1 cases. The cold climate can exacerbate chronic illnesses and increase the spread of the virus.
Throughout the course of the H1N1 pandemic, Kettner said he's used a variety of analogies to describe the epidemic. Having exhausted hockey and football, he noted that perhaps baseball is the best metaphor for the current H1N1 climate. "In all those other sports, you have time restraints.
With baseball, it's over when it's over. These next few months will be a test as to what inning we are in."
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/35-of-us-vaccinated-for-h1n1-79483502.html
Shot only available at doctors' offices now
By: Britt Harvey
17/12/2009
THE proportion of Manitobans vaccinated against H1N1 flu is on par with Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, slightly behind Saskatchewan and way behind the Atlantic provinces.
In New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador, about two-thirds of the population have already been vaccinated.
In Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario, it's closer to one-third. British Columbia sits at 40 per cent and Saskatchewan's 50 per cent leads the West.
Although Winnipeg's H1N1 mass vaccination clinics have now closed, the number of Manitobans getting the needle continues to steadily climb.
As of Dec. 15, more than 430,000 Manitobans had been vaccinated, about 35 per cent of the province's population.
"We're still seeing a number of people coming in to doctors' offices to get their vaccinations," said Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba's chief provincial public health officer.
He said rural and more sparsely populated communities were initially given higher priority, which might be one reason the Atlantic provinces had higher vaccine uptake.
Kettner would ideally like every eligible Manitoban to get vaccinated.
"I realize that Manitobans have a variety of different reasons for why they are choosing not to get the vaccine," Kettner said. "But this time of year, when people are indoors and meeting new people, it's even more important to get vaccinated."
He notes that a belief the vaccine can do more harm than good and a phobia of needles have kept some Manitobans away from the clinics.
With the worst of the cold winter season still ahead of us, Kettner warned the weather could cause a renewed spike in H1N1 cases. The cold climate can exacerbate chronic illnesses and increase the spread of the virus.
Throughout the course of the H1N1 pandemic, Kettner said he's used a variety of analogies to describe the epidemic. Having exhausted hockey and football, he noted that perhaps baseball is the best metaphor for the current H1N1 climate. "In all those other sports, you have time restraints.
With baseball, it's over when it's over. These next few months will be a test as to what inning we are in."
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/35-of-us-vaccinated-for-h1n1-79483502.html