FIND OUT MORE: The federal government has set up a website with information regarding the flu, its associated health risks and where to get immunized. It can be found at FightFlu.ca.
HALIFAX – Health officials in Nova Scotia say there’s no shortage of flu vaccines in the province and are urging people to get immunized.
According to the province’s deputy medical officer of health, the benefits of getting the flu vaccine diminish as the peak of the flu season nears in February.
“If people are thinking of getting a flu shot, they need to do it in the next week or two,” said Dr. Frank Atherton.
Atherton said there is no shortage of flu vaccines in Nova Scotia. He said the province brought in enough flu vaccine to cover 47 per cent of the population, which he said is more per capita than any other province in Canada.
Increasingly, however, local pharmacies and medical clinics are turning away patients because they are running out.
“At our walk-in clinic last night we had to turn 30 patients away that were looking for flu shots,” said Beverley MacIntyre, the director of patient care and clinic operation at Ravines Medical Centre.
MacIntyre said she’s expecting another batch of vaccines to arrive Thursday, but said it will be less than half of what the clinic needs.
“We were hoping to at least get 50, but we’re only going to get 20,” she said.
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MacKay’s PharmaChoice pharmacy is in a similar situation.
“We requested 120 doses and we were told we probably only get 40 for our seven locations,” said pharmacist Sean Boltz.
Atherton said the province estimates about 3,000 doses are currently sitting in public health offices, and is expecting 9,600 more to arrive within the week.
He said the perceived shortage is a matter of moving stock around.
The province’s health department is asking pharmacies to reach out to one another, and share or re-distribute unused vaccine supplies.
“We know demand is running high in some areas, and we’re looking to move vaccines from places of relatively low demand to places where it’s really needed,” he said.
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