Grant GRANGER

Abbotsford News

It was a sunny afternoon Thursday – a nice day for a family outing. But this one was a bit different for the Ironeagle clan.

Vaughn Ironeagle took his five kids to the H1N1 flu vaccine clinic held at the Ag-Rec Centre on the Exhibition Grounds.

Despite all the clamour for the vaccine, there was no lineup. There had been a long queue in the rain last Saturday morning for the first clinic in Abbotsford, but the Ironeagles were able to go right to the sign-up table. Since the Mission family is aboriginal they fall into the high priority category for this first round of inoculations. The aboriginal community has been particularly hard hit.

Their eligibility confirmed, the clerk asks, “Do you want the seasonal vaccine, too?”

Two sets of forms later, Ocean 13, and Brent, 11, are whisked away to one of several empty tables that have a nurse at each end.

Brent is up first. Asked if he’s afraid, he shakes his head and says no.

“Are you right-handed or left-handed?”

“Right-handed.”

“OK then, I’m going to put the [H1N1] vaccine in your left arm,” says the nurse.

Because the H1N1 vaccine packs a punch for a couple of days where the needle is inserted, the non-dominant arm is injected.

Brent looks a tad apprehensive as the nurse loads up a needle.

After Brent rolls up his sleeve, she pokes the top of his left arm, and he exhales a little “wow” accompanied by a small smile when it’s done.

The nurse then turns him around so she can poke him in the right arm to give him the seasonal flu vaccine.

A few tables away tiny Gabrielle, 2, is being comforted after getting her shots. She didn’t cry, though. She and seven-year-old Charlize only get a half dose because they’re under nine years of age.

With Charlize done, the only ones left are Vaughn and River, 10, who has a fear of needles.

River sits down, her arms folded, her face apprehensive. She holds her dad’s hand, and Gabrielle grabs the other.

Finally the nurse is ready to poke River, whose dramatics cause the rest of the family to smile. Charlize is now holding her sister’s hand, while River looks at her father. The needle goes in, and out pops a little, “Ow!” from her mouth.

“It didn’t really hurt, but it hurt. It felt like Brent pinching me with his nails.”

By the end of the day, there were 206 people who acquired the vaccine, much less than the 700 that received shots last Saturday. There will be another H1N1 clinic at the Ag-Rec Centre on Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The province will begin distributing another 250,000 doses next week, of which Fraser Health will be receiving 85,000 to 89,000 said FHA spokeswoman Joan Marshall.