H1N1 vaccine available to everyone
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Updated: November 20, 2009 11:27 AM
As long as there are vaccinations, everyone in B.C. is eligible for the H1N1 vaccination.
As demand for the inoculation dwindled last week, the province's senior medical officer Perry Kendall said everyone can get the shot to use up already shipped supplies.
"While we do not yet have enough vaccine to administer to everyone who is now eligible, given that our clinics are operating at less than full capacity, it is only fair to open it up to the rest of the population so that any and all British Columbians who want to be vaccinated can do so now," Kendall said.
"This may mean clinics run out of vaccine and are forced to close until additional supplies are obtained, but it is preferable to have vaccine in people's arms rather than sitting in fridges."
Earlier this week, he urged people to get the H1N1 vaccination, despite a decrease in cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
"I frankly foresaw lineups this week as we opened up eligibly to a large number of people and we had a relatively small vaccine supply — and this hasnt happened yet," Kendall said.
"The demand clearly wasn't was two weeks ago and this could be for a number of reasons.
"If we are indeed on the downside of this second wave, there's still the potential for us to see as many hospitalizations in the coming week as we did in the build up to the peak."
In B.C. this past week, there have been 144 hospitalizations and five people died, two of whom were men — one in is 40s and the other in his 60s — who lived in the Interior Health Authority.
Since April, 755 people have been hospitalized and 30 have died provincewide.
Kendall said the majority of deaths and hospitalizations continue to be people under the age of 65.
In Kamloops next week, there are three scheduled clinics.
On Nov. 23 to Nov. 25, vaccinations will be available at the Interior Savings Centre. 300 Lorne St., from 2 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
On Nov. 28, another clinic will be at Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Rd., in the lower gym from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The vaccine is also available at local public health clinics, doctors' offices and from specially trained pharmacists in regions where clinics are not available.
To find out more, contact your local public health unit, doctor's office or call HealthLinkBC at 811.
A list of local clinics is available at interhealth.ca and at immunizeBC.ca.
