900 receive H1N1 vaccine at the Lions Club hall - Updated - Health

By Carla Allen THE VANGUARD NovaNewsNow.com Security personnel were on hand at South West Health’s first H1N1 vaccine clinic at the Yarmouth Lions Club Hall from noon to 7 p.m. today, but crowd control wasn’t required as residents shuffled along slowly into the building.

Ages ranged from toddlers in strollers to seniors with walkers in the long line that wrapped around the east side of the building and stretched across the parking lot almost to the Kaye Nickerson Centre.

As of Oct. 27, Nova Scotia had 80 confirmed cases of H1N1. There has been one H1N1-related death in the province, in July.

Many in the line up outside the Lion’s Club Hall said what they’d heard in the news about “swine flu” convinced them to get the vaccine. “I want to get it to protect us,” said Gina Wells of Yarmouth. “I should get it; it’s necessary for everyone,” said 84-year-old Ruth Nickerson of Yarmouth.

Carolyn Otley traveled from Weymouth for the vaccine. “It was very well organized,” she said of the clinic. “I am very impressed. They even opened early,” she said.

South West Health communications director Fraser Mooney says the clinic, with 17 immunizers, opened earlier because they were all set up and ready to go. “As expected, it was a busy day at the H1N1 flu shot clinic. By about 4 p.m. they had administered approximately 600 doses of vaccine. At that time there were 300 people left in line. They estimated that was about how many they could reasonably do by the time the clinic is scheduled to close at 7 p.m.,” he said.

Nova Scotia had received more than 100,000 doses of the swine flu vaccine out of the 1.4 million doses ordered, as of Oct. 30

Mooney says South West Health will be revaluating scheduled flu shot clinics next week. “It is likely we will still have our clinic on Monday, but it will be for only high priority, high risk groups,” said Mooney at press time.

He added that: H1N1 flu vaccine is in short supply for the next few weeks and that until further notice, flu clinics and physicians will give H1N1 Flu Shots ONLY to priority high-risk groups.

High-risk groups are: pregnant women

children younger than five (from six months to 59 months), people living in First Nations communities, health-care workers in district health authorities, long-term care facilities and home-care agencies who provide direct care to patients. This includes family physicians, family practice nurses, pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.

Mooney assured that everyone will be able to get the H1N1 shot when more vaccine is available. “If you have severe illness and flu symptoms, go directly to an open Emergency Department or call 911. Severe illness can include chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, severe vomiting, high fever and confusion,” he said.

Family or friends in the hospital should not be visited if you are sick. Because of rising H1N1 activity, patients and visitors may see some changes to services at hospitals in the days ahead.

Starting Monday, Nov. 2, at the Yarmouth Hospital, the Ambulatory Care Clinic (IV Infusions, Gyne Clinics, Minor Procedures, etc.) will move from the main floor hallway to the 2nd floor (old Cancer Unit).

H1N1 clinic dates and times for across the province are available at www.gov.ns.ca or through HealthLink 811.