The H1N1 flu shot is being delivered to doctors’ offices across the province, the next step in the province’s plan to make it accessible to as many Manitobans as possible, Health Minister Theresa Oswald announced today.
“Getting a flu shot in a doctor’s office is a familiar process for many people and now that we have enough vaccine, we’re offering this option to physicians and Manitobans,” said Oswald. “We’re putting our plan in place and have asked doctors who want to offer the vaccine to place their order. We have already begun repackaging and distributing our most-recent vaccine shipment to these clinics.”
Manitobans should contact their physician or regional health authority to get up-to-date information on where the flu shot is available. Manitobans who need, want and are expected to benefit from the H1N1 flu shot should get it as soon as it’s practical to get the maximum benefit from the vaccine, the minister said.
Manitoba Health also provided a brief update on the second wave of H1N1 and the ongoing response. Based on the most recent vaccination data available, nearly 30 per cent of Manitobans have been vaccinated including:
• 54,675 people with chronic health conditions;
• 27,493 children between the age of six months and under the age of five and 56,148 children aged five to 18;
• 23,863 people who live with or care for others who can’t be vaccinated including infants under six months of age or people with weakened immune systems;
• 16,198 health-care providers;
• 34,711 people in the Burntwood Regional Health Authority (over 74 per cent of the region’s population), which was particularly hard-hit in the spring;
• over 48,000 people living on First Nations (an average of 57 per cent), with some First Nations reporting vaccination rates over 90 per cent; and
• 3,385 pregnant women.
“Ongoing planning and preparedness has been very important in our response to the second wave of pandemic H1N1,” said Dr. Joel Kettner, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health officer. “There have been more lab-confirmed cases in the second wave, but so far the rate of severe illness and death appears to have been less than in the first wave. It is too early to get complacent though because we don’t yet know what will happen when the weather gets colder and more people travel in and out of Manitoba. Our biggest, immediate challenge is to reach out to those at highest risk who have not yet been vaccinated and to remind everyone to get appropriate and timely care when they get symptoms of the flu, especially if they are in a high-risk category and have not been vaccinated.”
Kettner noted that it’s possible many Manitobans have yet to be infected by H1N1 or be vaccinated against it, making them still at risk for getting influenza and any of its potentially life-threatening complications.
In addition to the H1N1 vaccine, eligible Manitobans are reminded to get their seasonal flu shot and the pneumonia shot, all of which should be available at their local public health unit, doctor’s office, nursing station or other health centre.
Manitoba has estimated it may spend just over $100 million for a wide range of costs related to H1N1. This includes the $47-million five-point plan announced in September, as well as $12 million in personal protective equipment purchased this spring and other costs related to H1N1 preparation and response.
More information on H1N1 flu is available at www.manitoba.ca/flu or Health Links–Info Santé at 788-8200 or 1-888-315-9257 (toll-free).
