Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Re: Newfoundland and Labrador- Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability
Vaccinations 20 per cent done
100,000 people inoculated in province so far
ALISHA MORRISSEY AND JAMES MCLEOD
The Telegram
With 20 per cent of the province's population now vaccinated against H1N1 flu, the disease continued its sweep through the rest of the population.
Four more people were put on ventilators as of 8 a.m. Friday for a total of 15 people. In total, 111 people are currently hospitalized with the disease, 31 of which are in intensive care. Health Minister Jerome Kennedy and Faith Stratton, the province's chief medical officer of health, said roughly 100,000 people have been inoculated and they plan to continue giving shots to kindergarten to Grade 3 students today.
Sunday will likely be a day off for the taxed medical workers who have been administering the immunizations for 13 days straight.
"We're hoping to give the nurses a rest on Sunday, thinking that most of the vaccine would already have been given, and we would actually run out of vaccine," Stratton said.
Kennedy said Monday will be a day for the province to reassess and redistribute any remaining vaccine ahead of the next scheduled shipment Wednesday.
"If it turns out on Monday that there's vaccine out there that's not utilized, then we will certainly move it around or do whatever we have to do to make sure it's all utilized," he said.
With two lives already taken by the disease, health officials were quick to assure that they have adequate equipment and preparation to handle the pandemic.
"We're OK right now," said Dr. Michael Jong, vice-president of medical services for Labrador-Grenfell Health.
"If we do not have increased numbers in cases over what we have now, we're OK. Unless something happens, but with vaccinations we should be OK."
Stratton said the current pandemic is unlike any seasonal flu they've experienced, but they were as prepared as they could be.
"We've certainly been able to use all the plans that we've been putting in place," she said. "We've been getting ready for this for at least 10 years."
With the weekend inoculations, Kennedy said the students and parents affected had already been contacted, and people could also consult schedules on the Eastern Health and Eastern School District websites.
The next shipment of vaccine is slated for Wednesday. Across Canada about 1.8 million doses will be shipped; Newfoundland and Labrador will get its 1.5 per cent share.
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=301350&sc=79
Vaccinations 20 per cent done

100,000 people inoculated in province so far
ALISHA MORRISSEY AND JAMES MCLEOD
The Telegram
With 20 per cent of the province's population now vaccinated against H1N1 flu, the disease continued its sweep through the rest of the population.
Four more people were put on ventilators as of 8 a.m. Friday for a total of 15 people. In total, 111 people are currently hospitalized with the disease, 31 of which are in intensive care. Health Minister Jerome Kennedy and Faith Stratton, the province's chief medical officer of health, said roughly 100,000 people have been inoculated and they plan to continue giving shots to kindergarten to Grade 3 students today.
Sunday will likely be a day off for the taxed medical workers who have been administering the immunizations for 13 days straight.
"We're hoping to give the nurses a rest on Sunday, thinking that most of the vaccine would already have been given, and we would actually run out of vaccine," Stratton said.
Kennedy said Monday will be a day for the province to reassess and redistribute any remaining vaccine ahead of the next scheduled shipment Wednesday.
"If it turns out on Monday that there's vaccine out there that's not utilized, then we will certainly move it around or do whatever we have to do to make sure it's all utilized," he said.
With two lives already taken by the disease, health officials were quick to assure that they have adequate equipment and preparation to handle the pandemic.
"We're OK right now," said Dr. Michael Jong, vice-president of medical services for Labrador-Grenfell Health.
"If we do not have increased numbers in cases over what we have now, we're OK. Unless something happens, but with vaccinations we should be OK."
Stratton said the current pandemic is unlike any seasonal flu they've experienced, but they were as prepared as they could be.
"We've certainly been able to use all the plans that we've been putting in place," she said. "We've been getting ready for this for at least 10 years."
With the weekend inoculations, Kennedy said the students and parents affected had already been contacted, and people could also consult schedules on the Eastern Health and Eastern School District websites.
The next shipment of vaccine is slated for Wednesday. Across Canada about 1.8 million doses will be shipped; Newfoundland and Labrador will get its 1.5 per cent share.
http://www.thetelegram.com/index.cfm?sid=301350&sc=79
