The Cypress Health Region has expanded their H1N1 vaccine roll-out to Kindergarten to Grade 6 school-aged children.
The next opportunity for children in Kindergarten to Grade 6, regardless of age, to participate in an H1N1 immunication is today at the Wheatland Mall from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
"Surveillance has provided us with evidence that the younger school-age children are indeed at a higher risk of acquiring the H1N1 virus and therefore are an appropriate priority group to receive the vaccine," Dr. David Torr, Consulting Medical Health Officer for the Cypress Health Region stated in a press release.
H1N1 vaccine clinics, which have been constantly updated as new information has been provided by the province to the Cypress Health Region, will roll out into the rural portions of the Health Region starting next week.
As of this morning, immunization clinics have been set for Nov. 10 in Shaunavon (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Shaunavon Public School) and Leader (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Leader Community Hall); plus Nov. 12 in Maple Creek (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Sidney Street School) and Eastend (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Eastend School).
Pre-determined priority groups including health care workers, children aged six months to less than five years old, plus pregnant women and women four weeks post-partum, are also eligible to receive the H1N1 immunizations at these clinics if they have not already done so.
As well, a supply of non-adjuvant vaccine has arrived and is now available. This vaccine was developed primarily for pregnant women who are less than 20 weeks gestation, and who opted to wait for the non-adjuvant vaccine. The adjuvant vaccine has been deemed safe for this high-risk group.
The Health Region continues to work with the Ministry of Health in further expanding how vaccinations will be delivered to additional high-risk groups and the general public. The Cypress Health Region is gearing up for this expansion in vaccinations by training additional people to deliver H1N1 shots.
"Following a call for assistance to our registered nursing and licensed practical nursing staff, we had a tremendous response from over 50 staff members who were interested in becoming certified in providing H1N1 vaccinations," explained Trent Regier, Director of Population Health. "This training is nearing completion and soon we will have another 50 qualified staff who can take part in our clinics throughout the region and provide H1N1 vaccine to our population, as required."
At the current time the immunization schedule for the week of Nov. 16 to 21 has not yet been confirmed, and health region officials are inviting residents to regularly visit their website at www.cypresshealth.ca for the most recent updates to H1N1 vaccine clinic schedules. These schedules will also appear at swbooster.com.
In addition, the Influenza Clinic Hotline can be accessed 24 hours a day for up to date messaging on clinic schedules and H1N1- related news of the day. The Hotline can be accessed by calling (306) 778-5128.
As a further options to receive H1N1 influenza information, a newly developed email opportunity for H1N1 related questions is now available. The public can send their H1N1 influenza questions to flu@cypressrha.ca and they will be answered by a Cypress Health Region staff member.
The provincial HealthLine is also available to answer medical-related questions
regarding H1N1 and other questions that one may have. This resource, staffed by
registered nurses 24 hours per day, can be accessed by calling toll-free at 1-877-800-0002.
