Watch the video above: Hundreds line up for flu shots in Saskatoon
SASKATOON – Children and pregnant women lined up on Saturday in Saskatoon to receive flu shots at a special clinic at City Hospital.
Andrea Lindskog was in the lineup. Her sister-in-law was diagnosed with H1N1 on Boxing Day.
“It was pretty scary because you didn’t know exactly whether she was going to make it or not, and we’ve been lucky. She’s one of the ones who has been getting better,” Lindskog explained.
Lindskog’s son Austin received his vaccination today to her relief.
High demand for flu shots has placed strict limits on the vaccine supply in Saskatchewan.
The immunization is only being offered to children from six months to five-years-old, pregnant women and women who’ve given birth within the past four weeks.
After recent flu-related deaths in Alberta and Saskatchewan, families aren’t willing to take any chances as hundreds of families arrived at Saskatoon City Hospital early Saturday morning.
There have been seven flu-related deaths in Saskatchewan and 618 lab-confirmed influenza cases in the province.
MORE: Seventh Saskatchewan flu death; province changes vaccine approach
“Our seasonal influenza program is really delivered between October and November and by December we’re pretty well done because we want to have everyone immunized before the flu season starts,” explained Karen Grauer, the Saskatoon Health Region’s manager of population and public health.
But high demand has prompted the province to order an additional 12,000 doses of vaccine.
“They are trying to get a vaccine called ‘flu mist’, which is a delivery system that’s nasal, so it’s sprayed into the nose,” Grauer explained.
The extra doses are expected to arrive early next week.
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