Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Health unit plans in-school flu shot clinics

Posted By VALERIE MACDONALD VMACDONALD@NORTHUMBERLANDTODAY.COM

Posted 1 hour ago

As the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario petitions the province to set up H1N1 clinics in schools for elementary students, the local health unit is putting plans in place to do just that.

It would cover children from junior Kindergarten to Grade 8, regardless of their age, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit's medical officer of health says.

Establishing clinics in schools is part of rolling out the vaccine in Phase 2, following the priority group clinics of Phase 1 that are ongoing throughout the county, Dr. Lynn Noseworthy said. Students are close to the top of the Phase 2 list, she said.

The health unit is collecting "absenteeism data" from schools and while the final figures aren't yet in, Noseworthy says she believes they will show a decline.

When in-school clinics for students are to be held depends on "delivery of our vaccine," health unit spokesperson Chandra Tremblay said.

The health unit runs regular vaccination school clinics for everything from seasonal flu to Hepatitis B. Elementary school students will receive letters, information sheets and a consent form through their schools for their parents to read and complete. There will be no need for parents to attend the school with their child if the consent form is used.

There have been no H1N1 outbreaks at hospitals or long-term care facilities within the health unit's area at this time, Tremblay said.

The next H1N1 clinic for priority groups in West Northumberland is on Thursday with unadjuvanted H1N1 vaccine for pregnant woman. It is at the Rose Glen Road health unit office in Port Hope from 3 to 7 p. m.

With the adjuvanted H1N1 (which boosts the effect of the vaccine), the next clinic for Phase 1 priority groups, those most a risk of complications from H1N1, is slated for Friday at the Cobourg Lions Community Centre from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m.

For a full listing of clinics, details of who is in the priority group and other information, consult the health unit's web site at www.hkpr.on.caor call 905-885-9100.

There were almost 6,000 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu virus as of the last week in October, seven of them in the local health unit's tri-county area including Northumberland, bringing the local total to 23, according to the Ontario Influenza Bulletin for surveillance week #43.

http://www.northumberlandtoday.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2168268

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

<TABLE class=noprint cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%"></TD><TD></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD background=images/dash.gif height=1>

</TD></TR><TR><TD class=storydate height=10>Last Update: Nov 10, 2009 7:38 PM </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Ont. joins Manitoba, N. Brunswick in temporarily shutting some H1N1 clinics

Susanna Kelley, THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO - Ontario has joined Manitoba and New Brunswick in temporarily shutting down some H1N1 clinics due to a shortage of vaccine, even for priority candidates. <!-- CPPara1End-->
<!-- CPPara2-->
But while some areas of Ontario are putting the brakes on delivery, others have so much vaccine they have begun to distribute it to the general public. <!-- CPPara2End-->
<!-- CPPara3-->

The disparity of resources from regional health unit to health unit comes as the province prepares to open up its vaccination to program to additional groups, including police, firefighters and Ministry of Health workers. <!-- CPPara3End-->

"We decided that we can open the door a crack, by and large, in terms of offering it to others who would benefit from immunization," said Dr. Arlene King.

The 395,000 doses the province received from Ottawa this week allow for the limited expansion of the vaccine program, King added.

The expanded vaccine rollout this week will also target people over 65 who live in institutions, such as long-term care homes, and frontline corrections workers.

While Health Ministry staff are included in that group it's only a small number of people "who are directly involved in managing the pandemic response."

"Everyone would agree it's important to have the critical people who are managing the health-care system, particularly pandemic response, protected from illness so that we can continue to do that," said King, who added she will be among those getting the shot this week.

Vaccine shortages were also hampering delivery efforts across the country.

No shots were being administered in Winnipeg on Tuesday and clinics weren't expected to re-open until Thursday.

A number of clinics in New Brunswick had also been postponed at the start of the week, according to the province's website.

British Columbia is running low on the vaccine and anticipates some clinics may be closing this week, said Dr. Perry Kendall, the province's medical health officer.

The province is expecting to receive another 250,000 doses on Thursday, and those will be packaged and shipped to clinics early next week, he said.

In Saskatchewan, Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Moira McKinnon said they would not see "major shutdowns like other provinces."

"There are many clinics running all over Saskatchewan, so probably one or two may well run out. Their supplies are getting low but being refreshed," she said.

"The mass immunization clinics are probably only two weeks away so there'll be availability to everyone hopefully fairly soon. At the moment we're still concentrating on those at risk."

The province expects to have vaccinated 28 per cent of its population, about 280,000 people, by the middle of next week.

In Ontario, clinics in the Kingston area have temporarily closed due to a shortfall.

In Huron-Bruce, the western part of the province, public health units Monday inoculated about 1,000 members of the public, but all clinics for the rest of the week were cancelled as supplies ran out, a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile in northwestern Ontario, clinics are now open to the entire public. The acting medical officer of health in the area, Dr. James Arthurs, said he believes all priority groups who wanted the vaccine have now been reached.

In Hamilton, a spokesperson for the Public Health and Community Services Department says it has so much it will be opening up clinics to the general public next week.

Meanwhile, the number of deaths from the H1N1 virus in Ontario since April jumped by 15,.

There have been 52 swine flu related deaths in the province since April, said King, who added H1N1 activity continues to rise across the province.

About 395,000 doses were to be shipped out in Ontario for priority candidates but a further 375,000 does intended for pregnant women were being held back by the province, awaiting approval from federal authorities.

http://www.ngnews.ca/index.cfm?pid=575&cpcat=national&stry=103196924

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Ottawa H1N1 vaccination suspended as of Friday

Clinics to close at the end of Thursday because of vaccine shortage

Last Updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2009 | 3:07 PM ET

CBC News


Swine flu vaccination clinics in Ottawa will temporarily close at the end of Thursday because there is not enough vaccine, the Ottawa Public Health department announced Wednesday.

"Unfortunately, we have no control over vaccine supply and must rely on other levels of government and the producing pharmaceutical company," said Dr. Isra Levy, the city's medical officer of health.

"This temporary halt in service will be as brief as possible, and planning is already underway to ensure a smooth transition back to normal operations when adequate vaccine supply is delivered," he said.

The public health department said that by the end of Thursday, it will have distributed almost 190,000 doses of the vaccine to priority groups.

The vaccine inoculates against the strain of H1N1 influenza A virus responsible for the current swine flu pandemic.

The 190,000 people who are expected to be vaccinated represent roughly 22 per cent of Ottawa's population. The overall goal of the vaccination effort is to vaccinate a minimum of 40 per cent of residents before December.

"We continue to see a strong demand for the vaccine in the community," said Dr. Levy.

"We welcome the pending provincial decisions to expand vaccination priority to new groups. Once the supply delivery plan is more solid and our clinic operations resume again, these changes will be reflected in our vaccination plan," he said.

All Ottawa clinics were open Wednesday.

By 1 p.m. Wednesday, at a clinic at 100 Constellation Crescent, there were approx. 500 wristbands available.

At the Orl?ans clinic, there were about 600 wristbands available. Orl?ans wristband distribution has moved from the Shenkman Arts Centre back to the Orl?ans Service Centre.

The Kanata clinic had approximately 400 wristbands available for priority groups, and the Jim Durrell Arena had about 200 wristbands available.

For information on the clinics go to ottawa.ca/health or contact the Ottawa Public Health Information Line at 613-580-6744.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/11/11/swine-flu.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Ont. school kids, seniors to get H1N1 shots

Last Updated: Friday, November 13, 2009 | 4:32 PM ET

CBC News


Ontario will start administering the H1N1 vaccine to school-age children and seniors with underlying health conditions starting next week.

Children under the age of 13 will be immunized because "they are highly susceptible to the H1N1 virus," Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Arlene King, said Friday.

"Immunizing children will help to reduce transmission of the disease," she told a Toronto news conference.

"Adults aged 65 and older seem to have more protection against getting H1N1 flu than the general public, but those with underlying conditions are more vulnerable to serious complications and death if they do contract the disease," she said. Some of those chronic conditions could include problems such as heart disease, diabetes, or cancer, King said.

Children and seniors will be able to get the shots at public health clinics and at family doctor's offices, she added.

Until this week, Ontario had only been vaccinating people in certain priority groups, including pregnant women, children between the ages of six months and five years and those under 65 with underlying health conditions.

On Tuesday, the province expanded the vaccination program to include members of the following groups:

• First responders, including firefighters and police officers.
• Frontline workers at correctional facilities and youth facility workers.
• Adults aged 65 years or older who live in long-term care homes.
• Between 100 and 120 members of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

"The plan to expand our immunization program to more groups is based on the expectation that we would receive about 700,000 doses of vaccine per week," King said.
Rollout depends on supply

Next week, the province will receive 470,000 doses of vaccine with adjuvant, a chemical substance that boosts the immune system's response to the serum, King said. The federal government will also send an additional 375,000 doses without the adjuvant that will be administered to pregnant women.

"If the federal government ships less vaccine, the program will take longer to administer, and access may be more limited at times," King said.

Officials estimate there are about 2.25 million elementary school children and seniors with underlying chronic conditions, and it will take several weeks to immunize everyone in these two target groups.

The expansion "assumes that we will be receiving a more firm supply of vaccine than we have been receiving lately," said King. "However, we made the decision to expand now in order to protect as many people as possible with whatever vaccine we have."

King couldn't say when the province would start administering the vaccine to the general public. She said the rollout of the vaccine was being determined on an ongoing basis as the province learns how much vaccine she will be receiving.

"So at this point, I can tell you that we have been advised that [public health units] will have enough vaccine to immunize everyone by Christmas. Again, we are working towards the target of matching our delivery with that supply," she said.

King also said the province has now confirmed 61 deaths from the H1N1 virus, up from the 52 announced Tuesday.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/13/ontario-school-children163.html?ref=rss

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

<CITE>By CBC News, cbc.ca, </CITE>Updated: November 16, 2009 11:33 AM
Ottawa to reopen H1N1 vaccine clinics

The City of Ottawa will reopen its swine flu vaccination clinics as early as Wednesday, public health officials have confirmed.

The clinics were closed on Friday after supplies of the H1N1 vaccine ran out.

Coun. Diane Deans, chair of council's community and protective services committee, said Monday the city expects to have a more steady future supply of vaccine, beginning with the 100,000 doses it hopes to receive this week.

Deans also announced the city is extending its vaccination priority list to include all elementary school students and people age 65 and over with chronic health conditions.

Public health officials said 190,000 people have been vaccinated in Ottawa.

http://news.ca.msn.com/local/ottawa/article.aspx?cp-documentid=22621111

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Healthy adults can get H1N1 shot in eastern Ont.

Last Updated: Monday, November 16, 2009 | 6:35 PM ET

CBC News

Swine flu vaccination clinics run by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit will be open to everyone over the age of six months ? including healthy adults ? starting this Thursday and Friday.

The clinics were previously restricted to people in certain priority groups, but those restrictions have now been dropped, the unit announced Monday.

"We encourage everyone to get immunized," Dr. Paul Roumeliotis, the unit's medical officer of health, said in a statement. "It continues to be the best way to protect yourself and others from getting ill with H1N1."

So far, the unit has administered 41,000 doses of the vaccine at clinics in Alexandria, Casselman, Chesterville, Cornwall, Hawkesbury and Rockland.

Unlike many other jurisdictions, the unit had included school age children in its list of priority groups since late October, following the death of 10-year-old Vanetia Warner, who went to school in Cornwall.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit serves the counties of Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott, Russell and the city of Cornwall.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/11/16/eastern-ontario-h1n1-vaccine-clinics.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Ont. to begin offering H1N1 vaccine to general public

By Pat Hewitt - THE CANADIAN PRESS
Last Updated: 16th November 2009, 7:16pm

TORONTO ? Several local public health units in Ontario are expanding their H1N1 vaccination programs to include the general public but some major cities are still awaiting the go-ahead from the province.

The Ontario Ministry of Health said Monday there is no set date yet for opening up swine flu shots to the majority of Ontario residents, however close to 10 local health units said they were willing and able to do so.

The health units for Niagara, Hamilton, Kingston, Haldimand-Norfolk, Algoma and the Porcupine Health Unit in Timmins were among those with enough vaccine to offer the flu shot to anyone who wanted it.

?Locally, we have the vaccine and resources available to expand our H1N1 clinics to all who want it, and make it more accessible and convenient for our residents,? said Dr. Robin Williams, the Medical Officer of Health for Niagara.

Clinics were scheduled through to Dec. 4 at various locations across Niagara, including Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Welland, Port Colborne, Grimsby, Thorold and Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Simcoe Muskoka said it has enough vaccine to make the flu shot available to the general public starting Tuesday.

?We are confident we now have the resources to be able to offer this vaccine to the entire population,? said Simcoe Muskoka Medical Officer of Health Dr. Charles Gardner.

The Eastern Ontario Health Unit in Cornwall said it will begin giving shots to the general public on Thursday, while the Northwestern Health Unit in Kenora said it began inoculating the general public last week.

Toronto, however, is among those still waiting for the province to expand the list to include the general public, said Toronto Public Health spokeswoman Susan Sperling.

Toronto Public Health is sending letters home with elementary school children about times and locations of vaccination clinics, as well as a reminder that the flu shot is available from hundreds of family doctors.

That?s after Ontario?s expanded the list of those eligible for the vaccine went into effect on Monday to include children 13 and under and seniors 65 and older who have underlying health conditions such as diabetes, cardiac disease or cancer.

Ottawa Public Health will begin vaccinating elementary school age children and seniors over 65 with chronic medical conditions on Wednesday when it reopens its public vaccination clinics.

The clinics were closed last Thursday because of a vaccine shortage but they have received word they will get more doses.

?The province has informed OPH that the delivery of the first portion of the 100,000 doses of the vaccine that we have requested is imminent,? said Dr. Isra Levy, Ottawa?s Medical Officer of Health.

?Most of them are related to the vaccine itself, but also I think... people are a little bit unsure about what is true flu and then what is simple influenza and a cold, which of course at this time of year is pretty prevalent out there as well,? said association chairman Dean Miller.

The association?s random survey of Ontario pharmacists found that over the past several weeks they have seen an influx of patients asking questions as public awareness about the virus has gone up.

While the swine flu queries are ?occupying a huge amount of time? for pharmacists, Miller said they?re coping and it just means patients are having to wait a few minutes longer for access to their druggist.

There?s a lot of information about swine flu out there, including the Ontario government mailout and newspaper ad campaign and through Telehealth Ontario, doctor?s offices, swine flu assessment centres and the Internet.

Still, people have to sift through all that information, and not all the details they find on the web are credible, so people are turning to the pharmacist who?s readily available in their community, Miller said.

?I think what most patients are looking for is they?re looking for people that they can trust,? said Miller.

Ontario has had 68 lab-confirmed H1N1 deaths since April, 197 people are in hospital and 75 are in intensive care, Ontario Ministry of Health spokesman David Jensen said Monday.

Telehealth Ontario has seen a significant increase in call volumes and it is due to calls about H1N1, said Jensen.

There were 16,122 respiratory or fever-related calls to Telehealth during the weeklong period of Nov. 5-12 ? calls which Jensen said were related to H1N1.

That compares to Oct. 29-Nov. 5, when there were 14,177 respiratory or fever-related calls to Telehealth.


http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/11/16/11768236-cp.html

 

[tropical]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

#47:
"?Most of them are related to the vaccine itself, but also I think... people are a little bit unsure about what is true flu and then what is simple influenza and a cold, which of course at this time of year is pretty prevalent out there as well,? said association chairman Dean Miller.
...
Still, people have to sift through all that information, and not all the details they find on the web are credible, so people are turning to the pharmacist who?s readily available in their community, Miller said.

?I think what most patients are looking for is they?re looking for people that they can trust,? said Miller."



In a situation where without precise lab tests even infectious specialists couldn't judge if it is a case of flu or not, especialy in the few initial days or without temperature,
thinking that such influenza or cold dilemma will be resolved by their pharmacists,
it is wishfull thinking ...

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

H1N1 vaccines open to all Simcoe Muskoka residents

Posted By The Barrie Examiner

SIMCOE MUSKOKA ? The health unit will be making the H1N1 vaccine available to anyone over the age of six months, beginning Tuesday.

?We are confident we now have the resources to be able to offer this vaccine to the entire population,? said Simcoe Muskoka Medical Officer of Health Dr. Charles Gardner. ?After just two weeks we?ve been able to immunize about 20,000 people in the high priority populations at public clinics and many thousands more through doctors? offices and institutions, so it is now time to move forward.?

The health unit will also be asking partners who are delivering the vaccine, such as physicians, hospitals and long term care homes, to also make the vaccine available to all those over six months of age.

Locally, illness from the H1N1 flu has risen dramatically in recent weeks and is expected to continue to spread for some time to come. This makes immunizing as many people as quickly as possible a critical tool in checking the spread of illness.

?The vaccine, coupled with good personal hygiene and other infection control measures, could reduce the amount of illness from H1N1 in the community,? Dr. Gardner said.

To date the health unit has received over 107,000 doses of adjuvanted and unadjuvanted H1N1 vaccine available to the public. Of those, approximately 15,000 doses remain on hand for use at clinics and for distribution to other partners this week. Further shipments of up to 32,000 doses could be arriving this week.

Attendance at the public vaccine clinics has been sparse in recent days. The staffing at each clinic will be ample to keep up with demand when the general public begins to arrive for the vaccine.

In addition to the adjuvanted vaccine, the clinics will have unadjuvanted vaccine available for pregnant women.

Health unit vaccine clinics are operating at six locations throughout Simcoe and Muskoka, five days a week.

For a full schedule of clinics, visit the health unit?s website at www.simcoemuskokahealth.org, or call Your Health Connection at 721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

http://www.midlandfreepress.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2178432

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Peel, Halton to open H1N1 clinics to everyone

Last Updated: Tuesday, November 17, 2009 | 3:18 PM ET

CBC News

Peel and Halton health units are making the H1N1 vaccine available to anyone who wants it starting Wednesday.

Both health units said the vaccine would now be available for everyone over six months of age.

Peel Public Health, however, specified that the vaccine would be available to those who live or work in the region. Five Peel clinics will be open to the public on Wednesday.

Clinics in Halton were closed Tuesday, but all four will be open on Wednesday.

Until now, the two regions outside Toronto had only been vaccinating people in certain priority groups, including pregnant women, children between the ages of six months and five years and those under 65 with underlying health conditions.

The decision to expand the vaccination program to include the general public comes despite ambiguity from the province's chief medical officer of health on when the vaccine will be made available to everyone province-wide.


Last Friday, Dr. Arlene King said Ontario will expand the vaccination program. People in the following groups began receiving the vaccine this week:

• Children under the age of 13.
• People aged 65 years or older with underlying health conditions.
• Adults aged 65 years or older who live in long-term care homes.
• First responders, including firefighters and police officers.
• Frontline workers at correctional facilities and youth facility workers.
• Between 100 and 120 members of the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

But she made no indication when everyone else would be offered the shot, saying only the rollout of the vaccine was being determined on an ongoing basis as the province learns how many doses they will be receiving.

Public health units in Toronto, York and Durham have not immediately said when they will make the vaccine available to the general public.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2009/11/17/peel-halton-clinics463.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

H1N1 UPDATE: Vaccine clinics to open to all

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD align=left>LondonTopic.ca </TD><TD vAlign=center align=right rowSpan=2><!-- AddThis Bookmark Button BEGIN --><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> addthis_url = location.href; addthis_title = document.title; addthis_pub = 'fedor'; </SCRIPT><SCRIPT src="http://s7.addthis.com/js/addthis_widget.php?v=12" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT><!-- AddThis Bookmark Button END --></TD></TR><TR><TD align=left>11/18/2009 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<TABLE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 3px; PADDING-LEFT: 3px; PADDING-BOTTOM: 3px; PADDING-TOP: 3px" cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=0 width=300 align=left><TBODY><TR><TD> </TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#efefef></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The Middlesex-London Health Unit plans to open the H1N1 vaccine clinics to anyone who wants to be immunized by the end of his week, officials announced Tuesday (Nov. 17).

Health officials said it would start by making all seniors eligible to receive the H1N1 shot immediately, regardless of whether or not they have underlying health conditions and clinics would open for the general public no later than Friday (Nov. 20).

However, if the number of high school and elementary school-aged children is lower than expected this week, health officials said the clinics could be opened to everyone sooner.

"Because we expect to see demand for the vaccine increase once we begin vaccinating the public, we're asking seniors to attend the clinics scheduled between now and Thursday," said Dr. Bryna Warshawsky, Associate Medical Officer of Health with the MLHU.

"We'll continue with the clinics we have scheduled for elementary and high school students before we begin to immunize everyone. However, if the numbers we see are lower than expected, we're ready to open to the public earlier than Friday," she said.

Previously eligible groups can still receive the H1N1 vaccine at any of the Health Unit's clinics.

See schedule for clinics below:

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" bgColor=#ffffff border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top align=middle> </TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle><TABLE width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD align=middle>

</TD></TR><TR><TD align=middle>Schedule of clinics, Friday, November 20th to Tuesday, November 24th - Click to enlarge </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

H1N1 Clinics & Assessment Centres, Contacts & Symptom Information

CityNews.ca Staff
<SCRIPT type=text/javascript> function updatectl00$ctl00$Content$CPH_Main$FullArticle$Template0$ctl00$If2$TrueTemplate0$ContentBlock7$Template0$UserFavoritesButton1(param, ignorecache, queryParam, callback) { if (!param) param = ''; else param = '&' + param; if (ignorecache) param += '&ignorecache=true'; param += '&hostingPageUrl=%2ftoronto%2fcitynews%2fnews%2flocal%2farticle%2f61660--h1n1-clinics-assessment-centres-contacts-symptom-information'; updateControlContent2('ctl00$ctl00$Content$CPH_Main$FullArticle$Template0$ctl00$If2$TrueTemplate0$ContentBlock7$Template0$UserFavoritesButton1_ContentArea', '/control-update?assetId=61660&virtualPath=/toronto/citynews/news/local/article','id=ctl00$ctl00$Content$CPH_Main$FullArticle$Template0$ctl00$If2$TrueTemplate0$ContentBlock7$Template0$UserFavoritesButton1&source=~/Toplets/User/UserFavoritesButton.ascx&duration=-1&AssetUid=61660&' + param, queryParam, function(responseText) { if (callback) callback(responseText);}) }updatectl00$ctl00$Content$CPH_Main$FullArticle$Template0$ctl00$If2$TrueTemplate0$ContentBlock7$Template0$UserFavoritesButton1();</SCRIPT><SCRIPT type=text/javascript> var addthis_pub="cherven"; </SCRIPT>

<!-- START OF STORY TOOLS --><!-- START OF RELATED STORIES -->
Starting Wednesday, November 18th, H1N1 vaccine clinics in Toronto will be open to the general public.

Toronto H1N1 Flu Shot Clinics:

Mon. - Fri. 1pm - 9pm
Saturday & Sunday 10am - 4pm:

• Metro Hall - Rotunda (55 John Street)
• North York Civic Centre - Members Lounge (5100 Yonge Street)
• Scarborough Civic Centre - Rotunda (150 Borough Drive)
• East York Civic Centre - Lower Level (850 Coxwell Avenue)
• Etobicoke Civic Centre - Committee rooms 1, 2, 3 (399 The West Mall)
• Timothy Eaton Business and Tech. Institute - Cafeteria (1251 Bridletowne Circle)
• Melody P.S. - Gym (24 Strathburn Boulveard)
• North Kipling Community Recreational Centre (2 Roundtree Rd.)
• North Toronto Memorial Community Recreational Centre (200 Eglinton Ave. W.)
• Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreational Centre (220 Cowan Ave.)

For more information, including hours of operation, visit Toronto Public Health's website.

Toronto Flu Assessment Centres:

The Scarborough Hospital
3000 Lawrence Ave. E., Building A, 2nd floor
Mon. to Fri. 1 ? 9pm
Sat. & Sun. 9am ? 5pm

South East Toronto Family Health Team
840 Coxwell Ave., Suite 105
Mon. to Sun. Noon ? 6pm

York Community Services
1651 Keele St., on main floor
Mon. & Fri., 9:30am - 4:30pm
Tues., Wed., Thur. 12:30 - 7:30pm

Humber River Regional Hospital, Finch Professional Building
2115 Finch Ave W., on main floor
Mon. to Sun. Noon ? 8pm

Sherbourne Health Centre
333 Sherbourne St.
Mon. to Fri. 1:30 ? 7:30pm
Saturdays 9:30am ? 12:30pm


Links to clinics around the GTA:

York Region
Halton Region
Durham Region
Peel Region

H1N1 Symptoms

According to Ontario's Ministry of Health, H1N1 flu feels very much like the regular seasonal flu. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue.

Most cases tend to be mild. If your symptoms don't improve in a few days call your doctor or Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000.

Here's a look at the differences between the common cold and the flu, courtesy of the Ontario Ministry of Health.
Telehealth Self-Assessment Tool For H1N1

<TABLE class=styled cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0><TBODY><TR><TH>
Symptom

</TH><TH>Flu</TH><TH>Cold</TH></TR><TR class=oddRow><TD>Fever</TD><TD>Usually present, high (102-104?F or 38-41?C) lasts 3-4 days


</TD><TD>Uncommon</TD></TR><TR class=evenRow><TD>Headache</TD><TD>Very common</TD><TD>Uncommon</TD></TR><TR class=oddRow><TD>Aches and pains</TD><TD>Common and often severe</TD><TD>Slight</TD></TR><TR class=evenRow><TD>Fatigue and weakness</TD><TD>Can last up to 14-21 days</TD><TD>Mild</TD></TR><TR class=oddRow><TD>Extreme exhaustion</TD><TD>Very common at the start</TD><TD>Never</TD></TR><TR class=evenRow><TD>Stuffy nose</TD><TD>Sometimes</TD><TD>Common</TD></TR><TR class=oddRow><TD>Sneezing</TD><TD>Sometimes</TD><TD>Common</TD></TR><TR class=evenRow><TD>Sore throat</TD><TD>Sometimes</TD><TD>Common</TD></TR><TR class=oddRow><TD>Chest discomfort, cough</TD><TD>Common</TD><TD>Mild to moderate, hacking cough



</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care



<HR width="100%" SIZE=2>
Seasonal Flu Clinics

Many of these clinics are only for those 65 years of age or older. Everyone else should see their family doctor for the seasonal flu vaccine.

Toronto
York Region
Peel Region
Durham Region

http://www.citytv.com/toronto/cityn...sessment-centres-contacts-symptom-information

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability



Ontario's health minister says swine flu shots now available for all

Wed Nov 18, 3:46 PM
By The Canadian Press

TORONTO - Starting Thursday, everyone in Ontario who wants the H1N1 flu shot can have it, regardless of age or medical condition.

Calling the move "a big step forward," Health Minister Deb Matthews said Wednesday that officials are confident there will be enough vaccine to allow clinics to begin vaccinating the general public earlier than expected.

"I will get my flu shot as soon as possible, and I urge everyone to do so as well," Matthews said.

Matthews said the immunization campaign is the largest ever held in the province, with 2.5 million people vaccinated in just three weeks.

"Never before have we immunized so many people in so short a period of time."

Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, joined Matthews in encouraging people to get their shots.

"Immunization is the best defence Ontarians have against the H1N1 flu. It is safe and effective. I urge everyone to get their flu shot now. We will have enough H1N1 vaccine for everyone who needs and wants it."

Matthews said the province has received more than four million doses to date and will receive at least another 500,000 doses next week.

Previous weeks have seen vaccinations limited to priority groups such as health-care workers, pregnant women, children and people with underlying medical conditions.

But this week at least 17 health units in the province began offering the H1N1 vaccine to the general public.

Toronto threw its doors open to everyone Wednesday afternoon, quickly drawing long lines of people who expressed relief at finally being able to get their shots.

Health-care workers in the city are bracing to give out thousands of shots if needed.

While there were long lineups Wednesday at the city's downtown clinic at Metro Hall, the manager there said his clinic had the capacity to give out 2,000 shots a day and all members of the public would be welcome.

Premier Dalton McGuinty also said Wednesday that he plans to get the vaccine this week. But he said he's not sure if he'll do it in front of cameras, joking that he might faint.

Officials have pointed out that flu activity continues to be high in the province - more than double that seen at the peak of past regular flu seasons.

"It's going to last all winter. We are just at the beginning here," Matthews warned.


http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/091118/national/ont_flu_9

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Ontario's health minister says don't rush to get swine flu shot - but do get it

November 18, 2009 7:53 p.m.

<SCRIPT src="http://site.answers.com/main/js/web_answertip.js?ANSW.nafid=8" type=text/javascript></SCRIPT>
<!-- ARTICLE BODY --><SCRIPT language=javascript> try { Prop8="False" } catch(err) { } </SCRIPT>TORONTO - Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews was urging people across the province Wednesday to take their time coming out to get the H1N1 flu shot now that it's being made available to anyone over the age of six months.

But she did stress that everyone should get their shot.

Ontario and Manitoba have announced that clinics all over those provinces were throwing their doors open to the general public regardless of their medical condition.

Calling the move "a big step forward," Matthews said officials were able to extend the vaccination to everyone earlier than expected because they were now confident there will be enough vaccine.

"I will get my flu shot as soon as possible, and I urge everyone to do so as well," Matthews said.

She said the immunization campaign, which has been criticized as disorganized and slow, is the largest ever held in Ontario, with 2.5 million people vaccinated in just three weeks.

"Never before have we immunized so many people in so short a period of time," Matthews said.

Dr. Arlene King, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, joined Matthews in encouraging people to get their shot.

"Immunization is the best defence Ontarians have against the H1N1 flu," said King.

"It is safe and effective. I urge everyone to get their flu shot now. We will have enough H1N1 vaccine for everyone who needs and wants it."

King said anyone who thinks the flu has peaked is speculating and that should not deter people from getting the vaccine.

"We, in fact, would expect this virus to be with us for quite a time to come," King said.

"It is not too late to be immunized...We have flu activity going on in the entire North American hemisphere. People move all over the province, all over the country, all over the whole Northern hemisphere and they need to be protected," said King.

Lineups in Toronto began swelling Wednesday afternoon. Residents there had been told Tuesday that the general public could get the shot when clinics opened at 1 p.m.

Waiting in line at the mid-town North Toronto Memorial Community Centre, Patricia Lewis was relieved to be able to get the shot before she leaves on a trip to Mexico, where the virus was first reported.

"I'm happy to get it because I'm going to Mexico a week Friday and I don't want to be sick down there," she said.

King announced that 76 people have died from swine flu in Ontario since April.

That's five more deaths than were known Tuesday.

Matthews said the province has received more than four million doses of vaccine to date and will receive at least another 500,000 doses next week.

She noted the public can now receive the vaccine in more than 100 public health unit clinics and more than 4,200 doctors' offices.

Despite images of long lineups at clinics flashed across the province, nearly half of the doses administered so far have been in physicians' offices.

Previous weeks have seen vaccinations limited to priority groups such as health-care workers, pregnant women, children and people with underlying medical conditions.

But this week at least 17 health units in the province began offering the H1N1 vaccine to the general public.

Toronto residents who lined up Wednesday expressed relief at finally being able to get their shots.

Agathat Nakedde, a mother of two who waited in line at the Metro Hall clinic, said she has been worried for the health of her children.

"I was feeling really bad because I have my two little girls and I'm thinking what if I get it and I give it to them," Nakedde said. "I was nervous and I was waiting for this day."

Health-care workers across the province were bracing to give out hundreds of thousands of shots this week and next if needed.

At Toronto's Metro Hall clinic alone, staff were prepared to give 2,000 shots a day.

"I don't think there will be a problem...We're ready, our clinic managers are ready, our clinic staff are ready, we have systems in place, we have line management systems," said Toronto public health spokeswoman Susan Sperling.

"We have enough doses, we have enough capacity to handle all of these."

Premier Dalton McGuinty also said Wednesday that he plans to get the vaccine this week. But he said he's not sure if he'll do it in front of cameras, joking that he might faint.

Matthews thanked those not in the priority groups previously vaccinated for waiting to get the vaccine.

"To the millions of Ontarians who waited their turn to get the vaccine, I can only say thank you for being so patient," Matthews said.

"If a society is measured by how it treats its most vulnerable members, then your actions proved just how well this province measures up."

Officials have pointed out that flu activity continues to be high in the province - more than double that seen at the peak of past regular flu seasons.

"It's going to last all winter. We are just at the beginning here," Matthews warned.

Quebec's chief public health officer questioned Ontario's move to begin vaccinating the general population.

"In a certain sense, there are people who are much less at risk who will get it (the vaccination) first, passing ahead of people who are more at risk," Dr. Alain Poirier said Wednesday.

Quebec will not change its plans and will continue inoculating targeted groups, Poirier added.


http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/liv...o-get-swine-flu-shot-but-do-get-it?pageno=all

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Ottawa adds extra weekend H1N1 vaccine clinics

Last Updated: Friday, November 20, 2009 | 7:30 PM ET

CBC News

Health officials say the city received 100,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine this week and more is on the way. (CBC)

Ottawa Public Health will open two additional H1N1 vaccination clinics this weekend to provide the public with more opportunities to get the swine flu vaccine.

A clinic will be held at the Ottawa Hospital's Riverside campus at 1967 Riverside Dr. on Saturday and Sunday between 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., but will have a limited number of shots available. No other hospital sites or emergency rooms will offer public vaccinations.

A one-day roving clinic will also be held on Saturday at the Cyrville Community Centre on 4355 Halmont Dr. from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The clinics will be offering a vaccine against the H1N1 influenza A virus that causes swine flu are now open to the general public.

All city-run vaccination clinics. However health officials have said that pregnant women, health care workers, people with chronic health problems or disabilities and children receiving a second dose of vaccine can present themselves to clinic staff and will be given priority so they don't have to wait in line.


Friday clinics maxed out

Ottawa's six H1N1 vaccination clinics reached their capacity and began turning away patients by mid-morning on Friday.

At 11 a.m., Ottawa Public Health said all clinics had stopped distributing wristbands for vaccinations later in the day, however the health department's Twitter feed suggested that openings might become available for walk-in clients.

Ottawa's vaccination clinics reopened on Wednesday, after being closed for five days due to a shortage of vaccine. Health officials said the city now has a steady stream of swine flu vaccine, having received 100,000 doses from the province this week.

6th Outaouais death related to H1N1

Meanwhile, the Outaouais health department has reported another death linked to the H1N1 virus.

A 58-year-old woman with underlying health conditions died Thursday after being in intensive care for several days.

Six people in the Outaouais have died since September of H1N1-related illnesses. Twenty-three people are currently in hospital in west Quebec with the virus.

H1N1 vaccine clinics

• Orl?ans Client Service Centre, 255 Centrum Blvd.
• Tom Brown Arena, 141 Bayview Rd.
• City of Ottawa ? Administration Building, 100 Constellation Cres. (5 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
• Kanata Recreation Complex, 100 Walter Baker Place.
• Barrhaven Crossing Mall, 3500 Fallowfield Rd.

Temporary clinics ? Saturday and Sunday only:

• Fred. G. Barrett Arena, 3280 Leitrim Rd. (9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
• Ottawa hospital, Riverside campus, 1967 Riverside Dr. (8 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
• Cyrville Community Centre, 4355 Halmont Dr. (9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.) Saturday only

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2009/11/20/ottawa-swine-flu-clinics-turn-people-away.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Next H1N1 clinic set for Dec. 3

Posted By Dominique Milburn
Posted 15 mins ago

The latest word from the Huron County Health Unit is a real shot in the arm for everyone.

The H1N1 vaccine clinics opened up to all residents last week. Previously only those in the priority groups were eligible to get a shot.

"I particularly hope to see people at high risk of developing serious disease, school-aged children and seniors take advantage of these clinics," said Chief Medical Officer Nancy Cameron. "Flu season lasts months so it's important for everyone to get their vaccine as soon as possible."

Clinics will be announced on a week-by-week basis. As of press time on Monday, Nov. 23, the next scheduled clinic for Goderich-area residents will be held Dec. 3 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 109.

The clinic will be open to everyone, and both the H1N1 and regular seasonal influenza vaccines will be available on-site.

H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccine information is constantly updated on the Health Unit's web site at www.huroncounty.ca/health. Be sure to check often, as clinic schedules and information is subject to change depending on vaccine availability and Ministry of Health and Long Term Care recommendations.

The Royal Canadian Legion is located at 56 Kingston St. In Goderich.

http://www.goderichsignalstar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2190917

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Get it while you can: H1N1 flu shot clinics set to close in parts of Ontario


<DL class=author><DD class="date published">Published on November 26th, 2009 </DD></DL>TORONTO - The time to roll up a sleeve to get an H1N1 flu shot is coming to an end at some public clinics in Ontario.

Some health units are seeing a drop in both H1N1 activity and demand for the swine flu shot and plan to wind down their mass vaccination clinics, even as the death toll from H1N1 rises in the province.

Other areas are adding clinics due to increased demand, while still others are transitioning clinics to now provide the seasonal flu shot.

Hamilton's last date for its mass H1N1 vaccination clinics will be Dec. 4, although residents can still get the swine flu shot from their family doctor or through the city's regular immunization clinics.

"We've seen a drop in the number of people visiting our clinics so we will be looking at the more traditional routes available for vaccinations such as family doctors and walk-in clinics," Dr. Elizabeth Richardson, Hamilton's medical officer of health, said in a statement.

H1N1 activity is down in Hamilton, but officials still encourage people to get vaccinated, she said.

In Stratford, the Perth District Health Unit plans to close its public H1N1 clinics on Dec. 1.

Toronto Public Health is still seeing a steady stream of people wanting the flu shot, and is reviewing how long to keep its clinic open.

"We are still vaccinating around 7,000 people a day at our clinics," said spokeswoman Susan Sperling.

In Ottawa, there are no immediate plans to close mass vaccination clinics but the health unit continues to monitor demand closely and will adjust clinic hours accordingly, said Dr. Isra Levy, medical officer of health.

"Ottawa Public Health continues to see interest from the public for the vaccine and we continue to vaccinate several thousand people each day at our clinics," said Levy.

Ottawa will promote vaccination well into the new year. The vaccine will protect people when they gather for parties and other festivities as the holiday season approaches, he said.

H1N1 activity may be slowing down in the community, he suggested, as fewer schools are reporting higher absenteeism rates, and patient levels in
Ottawa hospital emergency rooms are returning to normal.

Clinics will run through Dec. 8 in Windsor-Essex, which has been vaccinating more than 1,000 people a day, said that region's medical officer of health Dr. Allen Heimann.

However the clinics are transitioning to give the seasonal flu shot, he said, as the area experiences a decline in H1N1 activity.

"That's certainly the trend across the province," Heimann said.

Niagara Region will decide whether to extend its clinics past Dec. 4 after assessing this week's demand.

It's been vaccinating more than 1,400 individuals per day but has seen a drop in lab-confirmed cases of H1N1, and school absenteeism from the flu is also decreasing, said Niagara Region Public Health spokeswoman Carrie Beatty.

"The Niagara Health System continues to see patients with flu but the numbers have dropped significantly since the H1N1 outbreak began in late October," said Niagara Health System spokeswoman Caroline Bourque Wiley.

All of Niagara's hospital services and operations, including surgical schedules and emergency room volumes, are back to normal, she added.

The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit is extending its clinics into the first two weeks of December, saying illness remains high in the area.

Chatham extended its clinics until Dec. 5, while Waterloo added clinics through Dec. 3 because of demand.

The Ministry of Health has never had an expectation about how long public vaccination clinics should run, said spokesman David Jensen.

"We have full confidence that local public health units, gauging the demand they're experiencing from their communities, will be able to determine the best and most effective way to operate the H1N1 clinics," he said.

Ontario has had 95 lab-confirmed H1N1 deaths since April.

Jensen said most people in Ontario have not been immunized.

The ministry is encouraging people to get their shots now, he said.

The vaccine is available at more than 4,400 physician offices across the province, he added.

Ontario has received almost 5.9 million doses of vaccine. Next week, it will get at least another 1.1 million doses, and could get an additional one million doses beyond that.

?

http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/Canada---W...ot-clinics-set-to-close-in-parts-of-Ontario/1

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

H1N1 flu shot clinics next week

BETWEEN NOV. 30 AND DEC. 3

Posted By INTELLIGENCER STAFF
Posted 5 hours ago

Free H1N1 flu shots will be available at special clinics next week.

The Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit is offering four more clinics between Nov. 30 and Dec. 3. The vaccine is available to anyone over six months of age. Priority group restrictions ended Nov. 18.

The unit also provides H1N1 vaccine to family doctors who choose to participate.

"The H1N1 outbreak here is over and demand for the vaccine is dropping," said Dr. Richard Schabas, medical officer of health. "I expect that family doctors will do most of the immunizing from now on.

"More good news is that the Health Unit is returning to its regular programs and schedules," said Schabas. "Many of these activities had been put on hold while our staff devoted time to H1N1 vaccinations."
Clinic dates are as follows:

* Nov. 30: Tweed -Lions Hungerford Hall, 65 Victoria St. N.
* Dec. 1: Belleville -Maranatha Church, 100 College St. W.
* Dec. 2: Wellington -Wellington United Church, 243 Main St.
* Dec. 3: Trenton -Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church, 18 Fourth Ave.

Times for all clinics are from 1-7 p. m.

http://www.intelligencer.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2195190

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

UPDATED: Download your flu vaccine forms NOW!

ctvottawa.ca

Now that the H1N1 vaccine is available to all residents, there is a new form for people to fill out.

Each person who wants to get the vaccine must have their own form.

Make sure you bring all three pages, and don't forget your health card.

• Click to download the consent form for the adjuvanated vaccine
• Consent forms for the unadjuvanted vaccine are only available at the flu clinic locations.

http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20091029/OTT_Form_091029/20091122/?hub=OttawaHome

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: Ontario - Novel H1N1 Vaccine Availability

Ontario tells students to 'Join the Resistance' and get an H1N1 flu shot


<DL class=author><DD class="date published">Published on November 27th, 2009 </DD></DL>TORONTO - Ontario has launched a $650,000 ad campaign to encourage college and university students to roll up their sleeves for the H1N1 flu shot.

Ontario's chief medical officer of health, Dr. Arlene King, is encouraging students aged 17 to 24 to "Join the Resistance" against the flu.

King says almost half of those hospitalized in Ontario for swine flu are people under 20. However, historically only about 25 per cent of people aged 17-24 get a seasonal flu shot compared to about 50 per cent of the general population.

Yet, she says, college and university students are at a greater risk of transmitting the infection because they live and study in close proximity to each other in dormitory rooms and study halls.

King says the Ontario government has sent an "email blast" this week to 53 student associations targeting 400,000 students, sent posters aimed at students to health units and is posting advertising on websites to drive students to clinics.

She says Ontario is also allowing companies to hire nurses to give out the flu shot at workplaces.

King says there have been 97 lab-confirmed H1N1 deaths in Ontario since April, 223 people are currently in hospital, with 55 of them in the intensive care unit and 39 on mechanical ventilators.

?

http://www.mjtimes.sk.ca/News/2009-...oin-the-Resistance-and-get-an-H1N1-flu-shot/1