H1N1 priority puts student on hold
Seanna and Elyse Bussiere try to comfort each other after being told Elyse could not obtain a tuberculosis test anywhere in Salmon Arm as a result of the priority of the H1N1 immunization program. The routine test is required for her Rotary exchange student application.
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Updated: November 06, 2009 4:45 PM
Thanks to an Interior Health policy, there are more problems with swine flu than getting sick.
Elyse Bussiere is a Grade 12 student who has made it to the final four in a bid to go to Italy on a Rotary Exchange will not be going if she can’t get a tuberculosis test.
She has filled out an “enormous” application, arranged for a complete physical and a hepatitis-A shot, without any problems.
It was when she tried to get a TB test through Interior Health’s Public Health Unit in Salmon Arm that she ran into a brick wall.
Elyse and her mother Seanna were both in tears Tuesday afternoon after they had been told by the nurse in charge of immunization at the local health unit that there would be no TB testing. Interior Health has temporarily suspended some non-essential tests to redeploy staff to the H1N1 immunization campaign.
Without the TB screening, Rotary will reject Elyse’s application and a year of study abroad will be lost.
“She told us Interior Health will do absolutely nothing unless your doctor says he suspects you have it,” says Seanna, “She took us right into her office, she could have done it right there. We saw lots of staff in empty offices and only one man and his daughter in the waiting room.”
A TB test takes under a minute to perform, says Bussiere.
But Public Health communications officer Lannea Parfitt says getting the H1N1 vaccination to high-risk people is a provincial priority and that there are a limited number of public health nurses able to deliver the vaccine.
“As a result, there was not an available public health nurse to administer the TB test yesterday,” she wrote in response to the Bussiere’s complaints, noting all the nurses were busy with H1N1 immunization clinics. This was despite the fact there was no H1N1 immunization clinic in Salmon Arm that day.
“It appears, however, in this situation, the test might not have been considered routine and we regret any misunderstanding on our part,” she says, suggesting the women call the health unit again.
“It should also be noted that TB testing is not necessarily a ‘drop-in’ procedure. Certain tests require advance planning, and pre-booking. Subsequently, we would encourage the public to call their local health unit as much in advance as possible so that this type of situation can be avoided.”
But Seanna says Elyse discovered she had been short-listed in the middle of October but was at home for a week with the flu. So, she began calling the health unit in the middle of last week, not thinking there would be a problem. She says every time she called, she was told someone would get back to her, which did not happen.
“I’m willing to travel to Alberta to get it,” said Seanna through her tears on Tuesday.
But that probably won’t be necessary.
Parfitt provided a contact at the local health unit and says she has been apprised of the situation.
As of press time, Seanna had called the contact at the health unit and was told her call would be returned.
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