More than 1,000 get vaccinated
SATURDAY H1N1 SHOTS
Posted By ANDREA HOUSTON EXAMINER STAFF WRITER
Posted 3 months ago
Despite a few disgruntled people who hadn't heard about the last-minute cancellation of general public H1N1 vaccinations, the long line-up Saturday morning at Portage Place was not as chaotic as public health officials had anticipated.
Dr. Rosana Pellizzari, Peterborough Count y -C i t y
Health Unit medical officer of health, was stationed at the front of the line, making regular announcements that only priority groups are being vaccinated.
"We've had a great turn-out today.... The line-up is moving pretty fast because we have lots of vaccinators on today," she said.
About 350 people were being vaccinated per hour, Pellizzari said.
"So we'll have administered well over 1,000 people today," she said.
Suzanne Galloway, health promoter with the health unit, said public health brought in 14 nurses to administer the vaccine and another 14 staff members took registration.
It was about a two-hour wait in line for people who got there first thing in the morning.
Vaccinations for the general public were cancelled on Friday at the request of Dr. Arlene Hill, Ontario's chief medical officer of health, because there was a limited supply of vaccine.
By 9 a. m. at Portage Place, about 200 people were lined up outside to get the vaccine.
By 10 a. m., the line inside snaked around the corner of the vaccination clinic and travelled the entire length of the mall.
"There wasn't the mass confusion I thought it would be here today, just a lot of people," said Angela Millard, who was waiting with her three-year-old daughter Ashlyn. "We struggled with whether or not to get the vaccine, but after some research we decided not to take any chances.
"(H1N1) sounds pretty scary." Lynda Nichols, who was waiting in line with her children Cassie, 9, and Tegan, 4, said she wanted to get her kids vaccinated as soon as possible.
"I think Health Canada should have been better prepared for this with more vaccine," Nichols said. "I've kept my kids out of school for two days."
Inside the clinic, people waited patiently for their names to be called, some made conversation with other waiting people, some cooed at crying babies and others immersed themselves in a newspaper.
Those waiting in line passed the time by shopping as they inched past the clothing boutiques or chatted with others waiting in line.
Reading a novel, Andrea Morton said she was a bit disappointed to hear she couldn't get vaccinated.
"I'm not a priority, but my three-year-old son is," she said. "I'm a tester for driving tests, so I'm in cars with numerous people all day.
"I'd like to get the shot as soon as possible because I'm at greater risk."
Clinics will be held for the rest of the public when more vaccine becomes available, she said, and that will likely be in the next few weeks.
"We continue to ask people not to come out unless they are high risk," Pellizzari said. "Until we hear from the province that we can open it up, we have to restrict it to high risk only."
On Nov. 9, the health unit is tentatively planning to start vaccinating children in all area schools, but the date depends on whether there is enough vaccine, she said.
Pellizzari said the health unit has tried to prepare for every possibility in its pandemic plans, but there are always unexpected curveballs.
"We are working in real time," she said. "So you've got to be flexible. The plans aren't worth the paper they're written on if you can't adapt them to what's happening.
"We're being very flexible, doing our best and rolling with the punches. We ask that people be patient."
The province has been told by federal officials that it will receive 170,000 doses of the adjuvanted vaccine next week, less than the expected 722,000 doses.
An additional 86,800 doses of unadjuvanted vaccine will be made available to pregnant women by the end of next week.
Officials stress the overall death and hospitalization rate from H1N1 remains below that from the seasonal flu.
NOTE:The health unit has a self-assessment tool on its web-site at www.pcchu.ca.If you follow the chart and it recommends that you seek medical attention, Pellizzari said it's important that you go to a doctor that same day.
ahouston@peterboroughexaminer.com
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More vaccination clinics today
What: Today's H1N1 vaccination clinics for high-priority groups.
Where: Peterborough Square, 360 George St. N., from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m.; Portage Place, 1154 Chemong Rd., from 1 to 7 p. m.; Douro Community Centre from 2 to 6 p. m.; and the Havelock Community Centre from 2 to 6 p. m.
Who's included in priority groups?
* People under 65 with chronic conditions.
* Pregnant women.
* Healthy children between the ages of six months and five years.
* Health-care workers and caregivers.
* Household contacts and care providers of people at high risk who can't be immunized or may not respond to vaccines.
* People living in remote or isolated communities (not applicable in the Peterborough area)
What about vaccinations for the general public?
The health unit says it will announce clinics for the general public when more vaccines become available.
More Info: Visit www.pcchu.ca
