News Release                           For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                  November 4, 2009

Non-Adjuvant pH1N1 Vaccine Available in Grey Bruce

The Grey Bruce Health Unit has received a shipment of 1000 doses of non-adjuvant pH1N1 vaccine. This vaccine is for pregnant women under 20 weeks gestation and for those over 20 weeks gestation who opted to wait to receive the non-adjuvant vaccine.

Adjuvant is a substance added to a vaccine in order to boost the individual’s response. It also means that less of the virus or “antigen” is needed to make a dose of the vaccine. Non-adjuvant vaccine has no “booster” element and more antigen is needed to create this kind of vaccine.

The Canadian Public Health Agency advises, “Non-adjuvant vaccine is a precautionary measure for pregnant women, as no clinical data of the safety of adjuvant vaccine in this group is available. The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that it has no special concerns about the safety of adjuvanted H1N1 vaccines in general. It has also strongly recommended that pregnant women be immunized against the H1N1 flu virus, even if no non-adjuvanted vaccine is available.”

Pregnant women are being directed to their doctor for the non-adjuvant vaccine. For those without a family physician, or whose family physician is not providing H1N1 vaccine, Public Health will be providing the non-adjuvant vaccine by appointment, in order to utilize the 10 dose vial, at the following times and locations:

• Grey Bruce Health Unit, 101 17th Street East, Owen Sound

Monday, November 9, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Wednesday, November 18, 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

For appointment call: 519‐376‐9420 or 1‐800‐263‐3456 ext. 1256

• Grey Bruce Health Unit, 30 Park Street West, Walkerton

Friday, November 13, 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For appointment call: 519‐376‐9420 or 1‐800‐263‐3456 ext. 2253

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For more information:

Denna Leach

Program Manager

Grey Bruce Health Unit

519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456 ext. 1462