H1N1 flu vaccines available to schoolchildren, older adults with health conditions

Starting the week of Nov. 16, the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) is expanding its H1N1 influenza (flu) vaccination priority group to include healthy children five to 14 years old and people 65 and older with underlying health conditions.

“We are following a targeted immunization strategy because we continue to experience some delays in receiving the H1N1 flu vaccine,” said Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Sudbury & District Medical Officer of Health, in a press release.

“We will be collaborating with health care providers, walk-in clinics, and area schools to make sure people in the priority groups have access to the vaccine that we do receive. Our community clinics remain postponed until further notice.”

The Public Health Agency of Canada is recommending the following with respect to children requiring a second child dose of the H1N1 flu vaccine:

-Children from six months to up to three years of age should receive a second dose of the vaccine to ensure good protection.
-Children from three years to nine years of age who have underlying medical conditions should also receive a second child dose of the vaccine.
-Children must wait at least 21 days between their first and second dose.
-All other children and adults require only one dose of vaccine.

Parents of children requiring a second dose and individuals 65 years and over with underlying health conditions are encouraged to call their health care provider to see if they have the H1N1 flu vaccine and to make an appointment. Appointments may also be booked with the SDHU office clinics.

For healthy children JK to Grade 8, vaccination clinics are being set up in some schools. The Health Unit is working closely with area school boards and the Sudbury Student Services Consortium to set up vaccination clinics in some schools and to arrange transportation, where necessary.

The details of the school-based clinics are:

-Only children in JK to Grade 8 will be able to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine at the school-based clinics.
-Children who have already received their first dose of the H1N1 flu vaccine cannot receive their second dose at a school-based clinic. Appointments for second doses can be made with health care providers or one of the Health Unit’s offices.
-Parents and guardians must sign and return consent forms distributed through the schools if they
wish to have their children immunized. If a signed consent form is not returned, the child will not
be brought to the clinic and the Health Unit will not vaccinate the child.
-Once the details are finalized for the school-based clinics, each school will send letters to parents
and guardians informing them of the designated date and location of the clinic that has been set
up for their child’s school. In addition, the schedules will be posted on the Health Unit’s website
at www.sdhu.com.

“The school boards and the Consortium have been instrumental in making these clinics possible so that
children in JK to Grade 8 have access to the vaccine,” said Sutcliffe.

People in the following original six priority groups are still being encouraged to be vaccinated against
H1N1 flu, if they haven’t been already:

- People with chronic medical conditions, under age 65
- Pregnant women
- Healthy children from six months to five years old
- People living in remote and isolated settings or communities
- Health care workers involved in pandemic response or the delivery of essential health
care services
- Household contacts and care providers of infants under 6 months of age, and household contacts and care providers of people (regardless of age) who are immunocompromised or who may not respond to vaccine.

People in the priority groups should call their health care provider to see if they have the vaccine, or call any branch office of the Sudbury & District Health Unit to make an appointment. If you have any
questions about the H1N1 vaccine, visit www.sdhu.com or phone 522-9200.