Ottawa Approves H1N1 Vaccine

The federal government made an important announcement Wednesday regarding the H1N1 virus that will allow Canadians to start rolling up their sleeves for the much-talked about shot.

Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq confirmed approval of the swine flu vaccine and the announcement gives health officials from coast to coast the green light to start administering the H1N1 shot as early as next week – a move described as Canada’s largest-ever vaccination program.

“This is a milestone in our efforts to fight the pandemic H1N1 flu virus,” she said. “Thanks to careful planning we now have a safe and effective vaccine being distributed to provinces and territories that they will be rolling out in a matter of days.”

The Ontario government announced Wednesday that H1N1 immunizations will begin next week, starting with three priority groups: seniors, pregnant women and those with underlying medical conditions.

In the run-up to Ottawa’s approval of the pandemic vaccine, this week Toronto confirmed 10 locations where you can get vaccinated as of Nov. 2. They are as follows:

• Metro Hall – Rotunda (55 John Street)
• North York Civic Centre – Members Lounge (5100 Yonge Street)
• Scarborough Civic Centre – Rotunda (150 Borough Drive)
• East York Civic Centre – Lower Level (850 Coxwell Avenue)
• Etobicoke Civic Centre – Committee rooms 1, 2, 3 (399 The West Mall)
• Timothy Eaton Business and Tech. Institute – Cafeteria (1251 Bridletowne Circle)
• Melody P.S. – Gym (24 Strathburn Boulveard)
• North Kipling Community Recreational Centre (2 Roundtree Rd.)
• North Toronto Memorial Community Recreational Centre (22 Eglinton Ave. W.)
• Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreational Centre (200 Cowan Ave.)

The new vaccine will be available as of Oct. 26 to health care workers.

For more, visit Toronto Public Health’s website. 

Click the following links to find out more about other H1N1 vaccination clinics around the GTA:

Halton Region
Durham Region
Peel Region
York Region

Ottawa approved the pandemic vaccine even though clinical trials are still underway in Canada. Officials based their decision on data from tests done in Europe.

The feds already shipped out two million doses of the vaccine before Wednesday’s announcement and pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline is under contract to produce the 50.4 million needed for any Canadian who wants the shot.

“Canada is in the enviable position to be able to offer vaccine to every citizen who needs and wants it,” Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. David Butler-Jones, said. “Getting the vaccine is the most effective way we know of to curb the spread of the pandemic H1N1 flu virus.”

Butler-Jones explained that various Canadian health agencies plan to work together to monitor the safety and potential problems, should they arise, from the newly-approved immunization. International regulatory bodies are also sharing information as more vaccination programs roll out.

Here’s a look at Health Canada’s recommendations regarding the H1N1 vaccine:

• All Canadians 10 years of age and older should receive one dose of adjuvanted vaccine;
• Children from six months and up to 10 years of age should receive the adjuvanted vaccine in two half-doses, administered at least 21 days apart;
• Children age 0-6 months – immunization not authorized; and
• Pregnant women should receive one dose of the unadjuvanted vaccine, of which Canada has ordered 1.8 million doses.

The H1N1 shot contains adjuvants, which are additives that boost the vaccine, allowing smaller doses to be given to each person. Currently, there’s no safety data on the effects of adjuvanted vaccines on pregnant women. Ottawa purchased nearly two million doses of unadjuvanted pandemic vaccine to offer pregnant women.

The unadjuvanted vaccine won’t be available in Ontario until November. Provincial health officials say pregnant women with pre-existing health conditions and healthy pregnant women 20 weeks or more should speak to their doctor about getting the adjuvanted shot. Healthy women in the first half of their pregnancy are encouraged to wait for the unadjuvanted vaccine.

“People might say well, we’re into the second wave of this … what’s the point in getting the vaccine? This is not going to go away,” Dr. Donald Low, microbiologist-in-chief at Mt. Sinai Hospital, said.

“H1N1 is here to stay with us. So if you get protected now you’ll be protected if it comes back in the spring or if it comes back next year.”

For more information on the H1N1 vaccine, click here.

Here’s a look at the clinics in Toronto where seniors can get the seasonal flu shot:

North York Civic Centre (5100 Yonge St.), Committee Room 2
October 22, 1pm – 4pm      
October 31,  11am – 2pm

Scarborough Civic Centre (150 Borough Dr.)
October 23, 11am – 2pm, Committee Room 2
October 29, 3pm – 7pm, Rotunda
October 31, 11am – 2pm, Rotunda

East York Civic Centre (850 Coxwell Ave.)
October 23, 11am – 2pm, Committee Room 2
October 28, 11am – 2pm, Committee Room 3, 4
October 30, 3pm – 7pm, Room A

Etobicoke Civic Centre (399 The West Mall)
October 23, 11am – 2pm, Room 3
October 30, 3pm – 7pm, Room 1, 2, 3

For more information on the seasonal flu shot, click here.