News Release                            For Immediate Release

                                                                                                                    October 26, 2009

Pandemic H1N1 Vaccine in Grey Bruce

Pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) vaccine will be offered, to the priority groups, at the October 29 flu clinic at the Grey Bruce Health Unit, 101 17^th Street East, Owen Sound from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Additional clinics are scheduled across Grey Bruce (see attachment).

The vaccine will be available to those who do not have a family doctor/nurse practitioner, or whose doctor/nurse practitioner is not offering the vaccine and who are listed in the priority group to receive the vaccine. The priority group for pH1N1 vaccine includes:

• those with chronic medical conditions under the age of 65 (chronic conditions include: chronic respiratory disease including asthma, cardiac disease, diabetes mellitus and other metabolic diseases, cancer, immunodeficiency or immunosuppression (due to underlying therapy and/or disease including HIV/AIDS), renal disease, anemia or hemoglobinopathy, morbid obesity, children less than 18 years of age on long term aspirin therapy, conditions that compromise the management of respiratory secretions and are associated with an increased risk of aspiration, such as neurologic conditions or cognitive disorders)
• pregnant women with pre-existing health conditions or who are more than 20 weeks gestation
• women up to four weeks post-partum
• healthy children 6 months - 5 years old
• healthcare workers

The pH1N1 vaccine will be made available to participating physicians across Grey Bruce beginning this week. Please check with your physician or health care provider later this week for vaccine availability and appointment times.

“Locally we are seeing a marked increase in respiratory disease related to the pH1N1 virus across Grey Bruce.” says Medical Officer of Health Dr. Hazel Lynn. “We expect to continue to see this increase for at least the next couple of weeks.”

In addition to the pH1N1 vaccine, all clinics will also offer Seasonal Influenza vaccine to seniors 65 years of age and older.

As additional pH1N1 vaccine becomes available, currently scheduled clinics may expand services or additional clinics may be scheduled to offer the vaccine to the general population (healthy people 6 – 64 years of age). 

Grey Bruce residents are encouraged to tune in to local media and to visit the Public Health web site at www.publichealthgreybruce.on.ca, as more information is made available. For further information, call Public Health at 519-376-9420 or 1-800-263-3456

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Attachment: Community Flu Clinic Schedule 2009 

For more information:

Denna Leach

Program Manager

Grey Bruce Health Unit

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