Provinces running out of vaccine | Health officials didn’t know until December that H1N1 was the circulating strain
Influenza is sweeping through the Prairies at what health officials say is actually normal rates.
The difference this year is that H1N1 is the predominant strain, and that is causing concern.
Alberta reported eight deaths associated with H1N1 as of last week, while Saskatchewan had seven and Manitoba one. This doesn’t mean H1N1 caused the deaths, but the people who died had the virus.
There are also hundreds of laboratory-confirmed cases and hospitalizations in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Demand for vaccine has been making headlines, and officials have had to target recipients or close clinics because of a lack of supply. The provinces order their yearly supply six months to a year ahead of influenza season.
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Dr. Louise Werker, Saskatchewan’s deputy chief medical health officer, said it wasn’t until late December that it became apparent H1N1 was the circulating strain. The news put pressure on vaccine supply as people rushed to be immunized.
Werker said Jan. 10 that the province will target remaining vaccine at children younger than five, who would have no immunity, pregnant women and women who are four weeks post partum.
She said 25 percent of the province’s population had been immunized, which is a normal rate, and 12,000 doses of the nasal mist vaccine, suitable for children aged two to five, were expected to arrive from Quebec this week. Others in the target group are not able to use the spray because it contains a live vaccine.
Saskatchewan also announced Jan. 13 that it had secured 9,000 more doses of vaccine injections.
“We are still on the steep part of the curve from what we can tell, and we want to get people who are most at risk vaccinated as soon as possible,” she said.
In Alberta, vaccine supplies ran out in all regions by Jan. 11, although some doses have been kept for children to receive boosters. Officials said that a record number of one million people had been vaccinated.
Dr. James Talbot, the province’s chief medical health officer, said all but three provinces have asked for more vaccine.
“We always have vaccine left over at the end of the season, including 60,000 doses that went unused last flu season,” he said in a release. “This will be the first year that demand has been greater than supply.”
Saskatchewan also typically has 30,000 doses left each year, but that has been used up.
Manitoba was just beginning to see H1N1 take hold late last week, with a reported outbreak on a northern First Nation.
Werker said young children are most at risk because they have never seen the virus and have no immunity. People who have had H1N1 might have some immunity but that is highly variable, she added.
H1N1 has been included in the seasonal flu vaccine since the pandemic of 2009.
Officials say the best way to prevent influenza is to cover mouths and noses when coughing or sneezing, wash hands thoroughly and often, and stay home when sick.
