Maybe it’s a big city issue or one for professional hockey players, but people in authority here are waiting their turn for the H1N1 flu shots.
The country has been in an uproar since learning last week Calgary Flames and Toronto Maple Leafs players received H1N1 shots when the government rules state firmly only those at high risk are currently eligible to receive them. Two Alberta bureaucrats were fired over the issue.
There were also outcries and headlines when several board members of Toronto hospitals, who did not qualify as high priority health care workers, also jumped the queue.
In this area, there was one death from H1N1 flu in Guelph.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health received lab results confirming the H1N1-related death of a man in his 20s. He died at home while visiting family who live in Guelph. An autopsy performed on Oct. 28 suggested a preliminary report of influenza A. Public Health Lab confirmed last week the cause was the H1N1 virus.
There are 5,994 confirmed cases of H1N1 flu virus reported through the integrated Public Health System as of Nov. 6.
But, local politicians have urged people to obey the rules.
“Only people on the priority list are eligible to get the flu shots, and everyone else is to wait – as I have,” said Waterloo-Wellington MP Mike Chong on Monday.
He said the federal government will have more than enough vaccinations for everyone in the country, and people simply need to be patient.
MPP Ted Arnott said regular flu shots have been given at Queen’s Park for several years, but over the past few years he has received his vaccinations in Fergus just like everyone else.
“My wife and I will be getting [the H1N1 and regular flu shots] when it’s our turn,” he said.
Warden Joanne Ross-Zuj said she has talked to a large number of people, and they have told her they have not received their vaccinations, either, because they are waiting for high priority cases to be vaccinated first.
She said, “No, I have not had that shot. I don’t fall into that priority group.
“As soon as we’re confident that priority group needs have been met and we get more vaccine,” other citizens will be eligible for the vaccinations.
She added that as a hospital board member and warden, she has not been offered the vaccination, either.
At least one county councillor has received the H1N1 vaccination.
Councillor Lou Maieron said he went to the clinic on his doctor’s orders because he is in the high priority group. He has diabetes and asthma, and has fought off two bouts of pneumonia, so his immune system is at risk. His daughter also suffers from asthma and she, too, has had the shots.
Maieron said he kept hearing on the radio that people with diabetes and asthma are high priority for immunization.
“If I wanted to hide I was getting a shot, I would have went to my doctor,” he said, adding that he stood in line several hours with other citizens.
His entire family had come down with the flu prior to getting the vaccinations, but he had recommendations to get the shots anyway, as a precaution.
Maieron was a guest on two radio stations to talk about the shots. He said at the clinic in Erin, officials went along the lines to ask if people were high priority, and when some realized they did not qualify for immediate vaccination, they left the line-up.
Health authorities will announce when vaccinations are available to the general public, but until then, Public Health officials are asking people to be patient.
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care set the rules that only people at high risk of developing complications from the virus will get a flu shot immediately. Those include people:
– less than age 65 who have a chronic health condition;
– pregnant women’
– children six months to less than five years of age;
– health-care workers; and
– caregivers of infant(s) under six months old or a caregiver of people at high risk who cannot get the H1N1 vaccine.
Public Health Manager of Communications Jan Craig said people here seem to be cooperating, but there are some complications. She said staff are asking people in the line-ups if they are on the priority list, but there is no way to check if they are telling the truth.
“People are not often comfortable talking in public [about their health issues],” she said. “So, if people say they have high priority status, they receive the vaccination.
As for people in positions of authority jumping the queue, Craig said, “There’s certainly no preference for people like that.” She said as of Nov. 3, it had distributed 6,750 flu shots.
Further to that, she said Public Health is using Twitter to keep people informed about the waits in line-ups, to make it more convenient for them. To obtain that service, visit www.wdghu.org.
Earlier this week the federal government announced another million doses of the vaccine will be available this week. The local health unit was slated to receive a large share of that.
