An H1N1 immunization clinic in Williams Lake won’t be held until Friday, Nov. 6, and it will be for people with the greatest risk of serious health complications from the virus.

The clinic will also offer the seasonal flu shot at the same time for those who are eligible.

People considered eligible for the H1N1 vaccine on Nov. 6 include:

• pregnant women in the second half of their pregnancy

• persons under age 65 with chronic conditions

• children six to 59 months of age

• household contacts and care providers of infants under six months of age

• household contacts and care providers of persons who are immunocompromised

• persons residing in rural and remote communities, including the aboriginal population

• health-care workers involved in responding to pandemic influenza.

H1N1 vaccines are expected to be available for everyone by mid-November.

Dr. Andrew Larder, senior medical health officer for Interior Health, says the health authority is receiving the H1N1 vaccine in smaller but more frequent batches than originally expected.

“That’s why we are offering the vaccine to those that will benefit the most from its use first – those people at greater risk of serious health complications from H1N1,” Larder says.

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When it’s recommended for people to get their H1N1 shot, they will also be able to get a seasonal flu shot at the same time, if they are eligible.

In addition to the new H1N1 clinics, the seasonal flu clinics are also expanding to offer the free vaccine to anyone who has been eligible in past years, not just those over 65 years. This list includes:

•      People 65 years and older and their caregivers/household contacts

•      Children and adults with chronic health conditions and their household contacts

•      Children and adolescents (6 months to 18 years) with conditions treated for long periods of time with Acetylsalicylic acid and their household contacts

•      Healthy children age 6-23 months

•      Household contacts and caregivers of infants age 0-23 months

•      Pregnant women who will be in their third trimester during influenza season and their household contacts and

•      Residents of nursing homes and other chronic care facilities

•      Health care and other care providers in facilities and community settings who are capable of transmitting influenza to those at high risk of influenza complications

•      People who work with live poultry and/or swine.

“H1N1 is by far the most predominant flu circulating this fall,” Larder says. “Getting your flu shot will help protect you and those around you.”

Larder says that in a typical flu season, Interior Health delivers about 150,000 doses of flu vaccine. This season, between 600,000 and 700,000 doses of vaccine will likely be delivered before Christmas.

“The immunization campaign is huge compared to what we normally do,” he says, adding that Interior Health expects the wave of H1N1 activity to continue rising for at least the next five weeks.

While there are projections as to how many people in the region will likely get sick with H1N1, Larder notes the projections are guesses.

Those projections, however, say as many as 20,000 people in the Interior Health region may see their physicians, there would be several hundred admissions to hospital, and there would be tens of deaths.

“We will see very soon whether those numbers match the reality, but certainly we can expect to see a lot more illness and will see more hospital admissions and we will see more deaths,” Larder says. “Hopefully we can mitigate that by getting this vaccine rolled out as quickly as we can.”

According to Interior Health, as of Tuesday, Oct. 27, there have been 31 confirmed cases of H1N1, including three related deaths, in the health region.

H1N1 admission rates are higher in children less than two years of age, children between two and nine years of age, and those in the 20 to 39 year age group, Larder says, explaining that the virus targets young people.

About 60 to 70 per cent of admissions are in people with underlying medical conditions, predominantly lung disease and asthma, but also immune depression, pregnancy, and obesity.

“All the indicators are showing we are in a rapidly rising wave of H1N1 activity,” Larder says.

He says seasonal flu clinics are being expanded in November so people will be able to get both the H1N1 vaccine and the seasonal flu vaccine. Eligible people are advised to get both vaccines at the same time.

The Williams Lake clinic will be held at Cariboo Bethel Church, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6.

Clinics are being held in other parts of the province, such as 100 Mile House, today. Interior Health asks Williams Lake residents to wait until the Nov. 6 clinic is open, rather than going to 100 Mile House, since there is a limited supply of the vaccine currently available.

Anyone with H1N1 symptoms is also advised to stay home, rather than to go to hospital, if symptoms are mild. A hospital emergency room is for seriously ill patients and those requiring urgent care.

Anyone with symptoms is asked to call HealthLink BC by dialing 8-1-1 or a physician for advice.

Details on further clinics will be posted at www.interiorhealth.ca and www.immunizebc.ca as information becomes available.

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