4 hour wait times in Spruce Grove for swine flu vaccine; program now canceled
Residents lined up for hours at Spruce Grove flu clinic
Residents who waited in line for the H1N1 vaccine last week in Spruce Grove had to brave lines of over 4 hours. The clinic, which was setup at Westland Market Mall, was a part of the province-wide immunization program. Starting on November 2nd, an additional swine flu clinic was to begin in Stony Plain.
Unfortunately, on October 31st Alberta Health Services announced that all H1N1 clinics suspended due to vaccine supply issues. In a press release Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. André Corriveau said:
After consulting top senior public health officials from across Alberta, and with a reduced supply of H1N1 vaccines expected to arrive in the province starting next week from the manufacturer, we have ordered the suspension of all immunization clinics in Alberta effective immediately. The suspension will remain in effect until further notice.
The handling of the immunization program has angered many Albertans, who believe that high-risk groups (such as children under 5), should have been triaged first.
For more information on Alberta’s plans for pandemic H1N1 influenza, please visit http://www.health.alberta.ca, or www.albertahealthservices.ca.
How very professional. The kids are are risk, the older people get there first, the kids stand in line for hours [which is extremely contradictory; we're trying to AVOID rubbing shoulders with tons of people during flu season, and yet here we are...], and the kids don’t get a vaccine in the end anyway. Times like these make it seem like a monkey’s in charge.
Ron Liepert, Alberta’s Health Minister, just announced that he will reveal new H1N1 plan tomorrow (Tuesday).