H1N1 clinics draw thousands

Posted By Lori Penner

Posted 2 months ago

Bracing for the needle.

More Photos

About 700 people received the H1N1 Flu vaccine at a temporary clinic held at the South Park MB Church Nov. 20.

The clinic ran from noon until 7 p.m., processing about 100 people per hour. Public Health nurse Julie French says about 10 clinics were held in communities throughout the South-Central region between Nov.17-26.

"Altona's numbers were right in line with all the other clinics," French says. "We had good representation from every demographic, with lots of families coming in together to get their shots." The H1N1 Flu virus was declared an influenza pandemic last June by the World Health Organization. Vaccine for the virus finally became available last month, but because of shortages in supply, clinics initially only accepted recipients which fell into specific priority groups.

French says now anyone over the age of six months can receive the vaccine. Public Health only turns away individuals who have had a previous anaphylactic, or allergic reaction to the vaccine, have a hypersensitivity to eggs or fish oil, currently have a high fever, or have experienced Guillan-Barre Syndrome within eight weeks of receiving a seasonal flu vaccine. "And obviously if you've already had a lab-confirmed case of the H1N1 Flu, you wouldn't need the shot either," French says. She adds that they had a large number of seniors receive the vaccine, many of them snowbirds who plan to leave the country this winter. "If you're planning to travel, it's a good idea to be protected."

The clinics are set up to process recipients quickly and efficiently. The first station has people fill out medical history forms. The second station provides them with education about the virus, as well as the risks, benefits and potential reactions to the vaccine.

After receiving the vaccine, individuals wait at the final station for 15 minutes for observation, with emergency personnel on hand in case anyone does have an adverse reaction.

"The whole process takes 30 to 45 minutes, which is much shorter than in urban centres," French says.

She adds that they've seen minimal side affects since the clinics began. "It takes about 10 days for the vaccine to become fully affective and once they've been immunized we've seen good results."

French says the public has been very patient since the H1N1 vaccine first became available. "We fielded a lot of phone calls in the beginning. There was a lot of information coming down the pike. It went from shortages in supply, to priority groups, to clinics closing. People have had to be pretty proactive about finding the right information."

She says whenever you make a medical decision, it's important to weigh the risks and benefits using reliable sources. "Immunizations have saved more lives than anything in the history of medicine. Trust your medical professionals instead of many of these Internet sites. Be informed, but make sure you get the right information."

If you didn't get a chance to get your vaccine this time around, another clinic will be held in Altona on Dec. 2 with clinics continuing across the region until Dec. 5. After that shots will be offered by appointment.