Manitoba Health and Healthy Living is announcing today the H1N1 flu shot will be offered to all Manitobans over six months and under 18 years of age.
Manitoba has observed an increase in emergency room and health-care provider visits for school-aged children with influenza-like symptoms, as well as increased school absenteeism. Providing H1N1 flu shots to school-age children should help reduce the spread of disease to others and help protect all family members who may be at risk. It should also reduce the risk of and help to address concern about severe illness and death in school-aged children.
This is the first step toward making the vaccine available to others not included in the first priority group for vaccine. The province continues to encourage Manitobans in priority group one to get vaccinated:
• children aged six months to under five years old;
• anyone of Aboriginal ancestry (First Nations, Métis or Inuit);
• disadvantaged individuals (for example, the homeless);
• people living in remote or isolated areas;
• people under 65 with a chronic medical condition or other risk including severe obesity, substance abuse or alcoholism;
• anyone with a weakened immune system or those who live with or care for them;
• those who live with or care for infants under six months old;
• single parents or anyone solely responsible for a dependent;
• health-care workers and medical first responders; and
• pregnant women.
Each regional health authority is adapting their H1N1 flu shot clinics to best meet their geographic and population needs. For more information on flu clinics in their area, Manitobans are asked to contact their local regional health authority.
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).
