News

SIMCOE, ON, OCT. 28, 2009 – The Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit has announced its full schedule for pandemic H1N1 flu vaccination clinics in Haldimand and Norfolk Counties. They will run throughout November and into December.

People can view the clinic schedule on the Health Unit website atwww.hnhu.org.to the volume and nature of the pandemic H1N1 flu situation, we are holding all clinics in only one location in each county,” noted Clinical Services Program Coordinator Wendy Holmes. “We have picked central locations in Cayuga and Simcoe and we are encouraging people to car pool and help their friends and neighbours get to these locations.”

“Due to the volume and nature of the pandemic H1N1 flu situation, we are holding all clinics in only one location in each county,” noted Clinical Services Program Coordinator Wendy Holmes. “We have picked central locations in Cayuga and Simcoe and we are encouraging people to car pool and help their friends and neighbours get to these locations.”

No appointments are necessary for the walk-in clinics, all of which run from 3 to 7 p.m.

“We are expecting long line-ups and we want to thank the public in advance for their patience,” Holmes said.

The Health Unit is only receiving the vaccine in small batches, so priority is being given to high-risk groups first.

Clinics for high-risk people only will take place at Cayuga Kinsmen Hall, 15 Thorburn St., on Tuesday Nov. 3 and Thursday Nov. 5, and at Simcoe Town Centre, 150 West St., Simcoe, on Wednesday, Nov 4 and Thursday, Nov. 5.

Clinics will then be opened up for the general public at the same locations on Nov. 10, 12, 17, 18, 19, 24, 25 and Dec. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, with an extra clinic taking place in Simcoe Nov. 26.

The Health Unit is particularly urging school-age children and their families to attend the Nov. 10 and 12 clinics.

People in high-risk groups include:
·Persons with chronic conditions under the age of 65. Those chronic conditions include 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. Chronic conditions includes children and adolescents, age 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.
·Pregnant women. Special considerations apply and pregnant women should discuss pandemic H1N1 immunization with their doctor.
·Children six months to less than five years of age.
·Health care workers (all health care system workers involved with the pandemic response or delivery of essential health services).
·Household contacts and care providers of infants under six months of age, and contacts and care providers of persons who have compromised immune systems.

People age 10 and over will require one dose of the pandemic H1N1 vaccine for full immunity and children under 10 years old will require two half-doses, a minimum 21 days apart.

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