FLU FEVER HITS HALDIMAND
Posted By CATHY PELLETIER , CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER
Posted 3 months ago
Simcoe Composite School was the site of the first folks in Haldimand-Norfolk County to receive vaccinations for the H1N1 pandemic on Monday.
While health officials are faced with fighting two types of flu this year, "The H1N1 seems to be the dominant virus around the globe," noted Robert Roth, Communications Coordinator for the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit.
Clinics will continue this week for the pandemic virus, but only for high-risk groups, emphasized Roth, "but we won't know for sure until the flu season" officially arrives.
The Health Unit has developed a three-phase approach to combatting the flu, which began earlier this month with seasonal flu clinics for seniors. "They're the only group recommended to get the seasonal flu at this time, because they are susceptible to complications from it, and they seem to have a greater immunity to the H1N1," said Roth.
Phase two is now underway, and includes immunizing high-risk groups against H1N1, followed by vaccinating members of the general public. People aged 10 and over will require one dose of the H1N1 vaccine for full immunity, while children under age 10 will require two half doses, given a minimum of 21 days apart. Phase three will provide immunization against the seasonal flu for anyone under age 65 who requests it.
Health Unit staff are currently accepting a steady stream of calls from high-risk patients, said Roth, who are booking appointments for clinics being held within the next 10 days. The first is on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at Cayuga Secondary School (located at 70 Hwy. 54) from 4 to 8 p. m. Two additional H1N1 clinics will also be held on Thursday, Nov. 5 and Friday Nov. 6 from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. at the Health Unit Simcoe Office (located at 12 Gilbertson Drive) and at the Health Unit Caledonia Office (located at 282 Argyle St. South) during those same days and times.
Included in the high-risk group is anyone under age 65 who has chronic conditions such as heart or lung disorders, diabetes mellitus and other metabolic disorders, cancer, compromised immune systems due to underlying disease and/or therapy, kidney disease and blood disorders; and children and adolescents aged six months to 18 years with conditions treated for long periods of time with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), because of the potential increased risk of Reye Syndrome associated with influenza.
Special considerations also apply to pregnant women -who should discuss H1N1 immunization with their doctor, and children between six months and five years of age. All health care workers involved with the pandemic response and delivery of essential health services should also be vaccinated, as should household contacts and care providers of infants under six months of age, as well as contacts and care providers of persons who have compromised immune systems.
People in those designated high-risk groups should call the Health Unit to make an appointment at 905-318-6623, Ext. 3232 or 3245, or at 519- 426-6170. Staff are available to take calls from 8:30 a. m. to 4:30 p. m. for high-risk persons only for the time being. Members of the general public will be notified of future clinics, which will likely run from November to December, said Roth," and should not call at this time. When those clinics are all done, the seasonal vaccine will be offered, either through flu clinics, the doctor's office, or a combination of both."
Still, he advised, "it's always a good idea to get the seasonal flu vaccination."
To help protect yourself against the flu, wash your hands thoroughly and often, keep alcohol-based hand sanitizer close at all times, keep surfaces and items disinfected, and cough or sneeze into your sleeve or a tissue to prevent the spreading of germs.
Continuous information about the flu and clinic updates are available at www.hnhu.org.
