The line up was long on Thursday as Rupertites grabbed their space of floor to take part in day one of the Northern Health flu vaccine clinic at the Rupert Square. And the promise of a full day on Friday is probably guaranteed now, as Northern health posted to their website late Thursday that the Saturday session planned from 11 to 4 has been cancelled.
With the H1N1 virus apparently making a rather forceful visit just to the east in Kitimat, it seemed at times on Thursday that almost anyone who wanted a flu shot was flocking to the Rupert Square Mall. The line up as captured in a Northern View picture (see above) snaked around the upper level of the Mall, all but hiding the Royal Bank from view. Likewise, the parking lot of the upper level resembled the kind of traffic flow that could be found during the week before Christmas.
This weeks vaccination clinic is designed for those considered most at risk of the H1N1 virus, dedicated to those that are under 65 with chronic condition, pregnant women and people who live in remote and isolated settings or communities.
If the line ups were any indication, it would seem that there are quite a few Rupertites that consider themselves in the target groups.
The large lines of Thursday do give us a cause to wonder as to the location of the local clinic, in years past the Civic Centre has been the host for the regular flu clinic, a rather orderly process which provided for seating for the elderly and those who may not be able to withstand a long waiting period on their feet. With no place for those in line to sit at in the Rupert Square sessions, the days session resembled something you might see on a farm when its time to bring in the cattle.
Northern Health has been urging local residents not to panic, outlining how they are sure that there will be more than enough vaccine to go around for all of those that will wish to have a flu shot, though the timetable for the general population seems to keep moving later and later into the end of the year, with Christmas now apparently the benchmark date for the Northern Health region to complete it's vaccine program. For some perhaps, not a reassuring timetable considering we're told that the next wave of the H1N1 virus is currently underway and ready to peak but for Health Officials even that could be a silver lining.
Considering the news from Kitimat of large absences at the schools and the subsequent closure of those schools for this week due to the flu, it's puzzling as to why a more comprehensive vaccine program hasn't been offered up for the schools. The process of an in school vaccine session would surely guarantee that all of the regions students would receive the flu shot before the flu takes hold of the community (perhaps a little late for Kitimat though) and as any parent knows, most of your average household colds, flu's and such probably come from those fine incubators of the schools.
.
You would think that if the schools had a vaccination program in place then you would be nipping a fair amount of the transference of the bug before it could get circulating around the community, yet it would appear that school children without any underlying health issues will have to line up with the rest of the population whenever the general vaccination days roll around (last listed as perhaps late November or into December), considering the speed of the virus, some might consider those dates as a little late, hence some of the nervousness that seems to be circulating around the region of late.
Not helpful to the goal of holding down the winds of panic are some rather confusing messages coming from around the country, with people jumping lines to get their shots, special clinics being made available for professional athletes, health officials advising that we should prepare for more deaths , increasing hospital admissions, and concerns over the availability of previously thought stable supply situations or the suggestion that by the time it is available, it may be too late and not of much use anymore.
With the H1N1 virus apparently making a rather forceful visit just to the east in Kitimat, it seemed at times on Thursday that almost anyone who wanted a flu shot was flocking to the Rupert Square Mall. The line up as captured in a Northern View picture (see above) snaked around the upper level of the Mall, all but hiding the Royal Bank from view. Likewise, the parking lot of the upper level resembled the kind of traffic flow that could be found during the week before Christmas.
This weeks vaccination clinic is designed for those considered most at risk of the H1N1 virus, dedicated to those that are under 65 with chronic condition, pregnant women and people who live in remote and isolated settings or communities.
If the line ups were any indication, it would seem that there are quite a few Rupertites that consider themselves in the target groups.
The large lines of Thursday do give us a cause to wonder as to the location of the local clinic, in years past the Civic Centre has been the host for the regular flu clinic, a rather orderly process which provided for seating for the elderly and those who may not be able to withstand a long waiting period on their feet. With no place for those in line to sit at in the Rupert Square sessions, the days session resembled something you might see on a farm when its time to bring in the cattle.
Northern Health has been urging local residents not to panic, outlining how they are sure that there will be more than enough vaccine to go around for all of those that will wish to have a flu shot, though the timetable for the general population seems to keep moving later and later into the end of the year, with Christmas now apparently the benchmark date for the Northern Health region to complete it's vaccine program. For some perhaps, not a reassuring timetable considering we're told that the next wave of the H1N1 virus is currently underway and ready to peak but for Health Officials even that could be a silver lining.
Considering the news from Kitimat of large absences at the schools and the subsequent closure of those schools for this week due to the flu, it's puzzling as to why a more comprehensive vaccine program hasn't been offered up for the schools. The process of an in school vaccine session would surely guarantee that all of the regions students would receive the flu shot before the flu takes hold of the community (perhaps a little late for Kitimat though) and as any parent knows, most of your average household colds, flu's and such probably come from those fine incubators of the schools.
.
You would think that if the schools had a vaccination program in place then you would be nipping a fair amount of the transference of the bug before it could get circulating around the community, yet it would appear that school children without any underlying health issues will have to line up with the rest of the population whenever the general vaccination days roll around (last listed as perhaps late November or into December), considering the speed of the virus, some might consider those dates as a little late, hence some of the nervousness that seems to be circulating around the region of late.
Not helpful to the goal of holding down the winds of panic are some rather confusing messages coming from around the country, with people jumping lines to get their shots, special clinics being made available for professional athletes, health officials advising that we should prepare for more deaths , increasing hospital admissions, and concerns over the availability of previously thought stable supply situations or the suggestion that by the time it is available, it may be too late and not of much use anymore.
.
Perception is everything when it comes to these things, and with surprise clinic cancellations (Terrace cancelled both their clinics for next week earlier today) and less than clear instructions as to what is to come and when it will arrive, its not a surprise that health officials across the country are getting overwhelmed and the citizens are getting just a little confused and a little worried.
The Northern View-- Hundreds line up for H1N1 vaccine in Prince Rupert as supply questions arise
The Northern Sentinel-- Flu clinic underway in Kitimat
Globe and Mail-- Panic and blame won't help cure the flu
Perception is everything when it comes to these things, and with surprise clinic cancellations (Terrace cancelled both their clinics for next week earlier today) and less than clear instructions as to what is to come and when it will arrive, its not a surprise that health officials across the country are getting overwhelmed and the citizens are getting just a little confused and a little worried.
The Northern View-- Hundreds line up for H1N1 vaccine in Prince Rupert as supply questions arise
The Northern Sentinel-- Flu clinic underway in Kitimat
Globe and Mail-- Panic and blame won't help cure the flu
.
Update: Friday, November 6-- Northern Health has decided to go ahead with a vaccination clinic on Saturday, previously cancelled, the clinic will now start at 11 am and continue on while supply lasts.
No comments:
Post a Comment