REGINA – Health officials in Saskatchewan are changing their approach as to who will get a flu vaccine.
The news comes on the same day the province confirmed its seventh flu-related death since Jan. 10 and the number of influenza cases increases in Saskatchewan.
At issue is the limited number of flu vaccine available.
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“We know that there is a global vaccine supply issue, and we continue to work with the Public Health Agency of Canada and our partners in other jurisdictions to secure additional vaccine,” said Dr. Denise Werker, Saskatchewan’s deputy chief medical health officer.
Approximately 25 per cent of the provincial population has been vaccinated since last fall and high demand has used up the provinces supply of 280,000 doses.
“While more vaccine is expected to arrive in the coming days, we feel it is now necessary to focus our vaccination efforts on those at highest risk from H1N1.”
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Officials say children under five and pregnant women are most susceptible and at greatest risk for contracting H1N1 and the province will now focus efforts on vaccinating only those people.
On Friday afternoon, set up continued for the weekend immunization clinic at Saskatoon City Hospital.
Those who don’t fall within the new set of prioritized demographics will be turned away. Cory Neudorf, the Saskatoon Health Region’s chief medical health officer, is hopeful the clinic still goes smoothly.
“There’s always individual cases of people who may be upset but the vast majority are understanding of the need to prioritize for those who are at higher risk of complications,” Neudorf said.
Both the health region and the province admit communication between the two has been lagging. The province blames this on the situation regarding supply, demographics and demand, changing and developing quickly in recent days.
Because it is late in the flu season, vaccination is no longer being produced. The province has secured an additional 12,000 doses which will arrive early next week. It’s called flu mist and is administered nasally. That vaccine cannot be used on pregnant women, young children or those with compromised immune systems.
For those eligible, a flu clinic is still scheduled for Saskatoon City Hospital on Saturday, Jan 11. in the therapies gym between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
A total of 32 people have been hospitalized in intensive care and lab tests have confirmed 618 influenza cases this flu season.
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