An additional Southwest communities will host influenza immunization clinics this week in response to the high number of respiratory illness cases occurring across the region.
The Cypress health Region hosted four clinics on Monday (Leader, Cabri, Maple Creek and Swift Current), and will be reaching out to six different communities for additional influenza immunization clinics during the remainder of the week.
A high percentage of the current wave of illness involves Influenza A, one of the strains identified in the 2012 influenza vaccination and those that have received their immunization are considered protected.
People can get their flu shot at the following locations:
JANUARY 8
Swift Current - Public Health Nursing, 4th Floor, E.I. Wood Building; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
JANUARY 9
Shaunavon - Public Health Nurse's Office, Shaunavon Community Health; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
JANUARY 10
Eastend – Public Health Nurse's Office, Eastend Wolf Willow Health Centre, 10 a.m. to noon.
Herbert - Public Health Nurse's Office, Herbert Integrated Facility, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
NEW--Maple Creek - Maple Creek Public Health Office, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (closed for lunch)
Ponteix - Primary Care Office, Ponteix Health Centre, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
JANUARY 11
Gull Lake - Public Health Nurse's Office, Gull Lake Special Care Centre, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
NEW--Leader - Leader Community Services Building, 1 to 4 p.m.
Free immunizations will be available for health region staff and the general public (of all ages) to take advantage of the protection that the immunization can provide.
Clinics in all six communities are available on a ‘drop in’ basis.
The Public Health Agency of Canada's Flu Watch website notes that Southern Saskatchewan was reporting localized activity for influenza across the entire region in their Jan. 4 report. The South includes the Cypress, Heartland, Five Hills, Regina Qu'Appelle, Sunrise and Sun Country Health Regions.
Canada wide, the Flu Watch website reports a total of 4,632 laboratory detections of influenza, of which 97.7 per cent were for influenza A viruses, predominantly A(H3N2). Their report notes that similar to previous years, adults aged 65 and over are the most affected this season.
