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Source: http://www.ottawacitizen.com/health/Ontario+short+vaccines/2152191/story.html
Ontario may run short on vaccines
Unexpected demand means general public may have to wait, medical officer says
By Lee Greenberg, The Ottawa CitizenOctober 28, 2009
TORONTO-Demand for H1N1 vaccinations in Ontario may temporarily outstrip supply, the province?s top public health official hinted Tuesday, as she was unable to confirm a government plan to open vaccinations to the general public next week.
Dr. Arlene King, Ontario?s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said officials would focus on vaccinating priority groups next week, including children between six months and five years old, pregnant women, health-care workers and people under 65 suffering from chronic health conditions.
?We will start adding other groups as supply permits,? King told reporters. ?But I think it?s going to be very vaccine-supply dependent on how quickly we can get it into everyone else.?
That message is very different from one being delivered by Ontario?s Ministry of Health, which says clinics across the province will be open to the general public as of Monday.
?Starting next week, and we?re saying that for everyone, if you?re part of the average population ? under 65, no chronic health conditions, not taking care of an infant ?you are free to go out and get a shot,? said Ivan Langrish, a spokesman for Health Minister Deb Matthews.
Toronto public health officials have also announced broad public access to H1N1 vaccines beginning on Monday.
It was unclear why King?s office and ministry officials were issuing such different messages.
Langrish said the province was still having a hard time figuring out how high demand for the flu vaccination would be.
?She?s being measured about it,? he said, suggesting King was taking a cautious approach to the sequenced rollout.
The comments come in the wake of the death of a 13-year-old Mississauga boy Monday.
Evan Frustaglio, an avid hockey player, became the city?s first victim of the H1N1 virus this fall.
Despite the death, Ontario officials are not considering including all youth 18 years and younger in the priority group.
King said that decision was due partly to a numbers game.
?We are monitoring our supply and our capacity to deliver on a day to day basis to determine how quickly we can actually roll out the program,? she said.
She added death from H1N1 was very rare in that age group.
Since April, 28 Ontarians have died of the H1N1 flu virus, including six children. The average age of those who die from the virus is 55.
Ontario has received roughly 1.72 million doses of the vaccine, more than half of which are being shipped to local health units.
?We will have enough to immunize everyone who needs and wants it in the province of Ontario,? King said. ?But we aren?t getting it all at once.?
Ontario may run short on vaccines
Unexpected demand means general public may have to wait, medical officer says
By Lee Greenberg, The Ottawa CitizenOctober 28, 2009
TORONTO-Demand for H1N1 vaccinations in Ontario may temporarily outstrip supply, the province?s top public health official hinted Tuesday, as she was unable to confirm a government plan to open vaccinations to the general public next week.
Dr. Arlene King, Ontario?s Chief Medical Officer of Health, said officials would focus on vaccinating priority groups next week, including children between six months and five years old, pregnant women, health-care workers and people under 65 suffering from chronic health conditions.
?We will start adding other groups as supply permits,? King told reporters. ?But I think it?s going to be very vaccine-supply dependent on how quickly we can get it into everyone else.?
That message is very different from one being delivered by Ontario?s Ministry of Health, which says clinics across the province will be open to the general public as of Monday.
?Starting next week, and we?re saying that for everyone, if you?re part of the average population ? under 65, no chronic health conditions, not taking care of an infant ?you are free to go out and get a shot,? said Ivan Langrish, a spokesman for Health Minister Deb Matthews.
Toronto public health officials have also announced broad public access to H1N1 vaccines beginning on Monday.
It was unclear why King?s office and ministry officials were issuing such different messages.
Langrish said the province was still having a hard time figuring out how high demand for the flu vaccination would be.
?She?s being measured about it,? he said, suggesting King was taking a cautious approach to the sequenced rollout.
The comments come in the wake of the death of a 13-year-old Mississauga boy Monday.
Evan Frustaglio, an avid hockey player, became the city?s first victim of the H1N1 virus this fall.
Despite the death, Ontario officials are not considering including all youth 18 years and younger in the priority group.
King said that decision was due partly to a numbers game.
?We are monitoring our supply and our capacity to deliver on a day to day basis to determine how quickly we can actually roll out the program,? she said.
She added death from H1N1 was very rare in that age group.
Since April, 28 Ontarians have died of the H1N1 flu virus, including six children. The average age of those who die from the virus is 55.
Ontario has received roughly 1.72 million doses of the vaccine, more than half of which are being shipped to local health units.
?We will have enough to immunize everyone who needs and wants it in the province of Ontario,? King said. ?But we aren?t getting it all at once.?