Surge In Demand At H1N1 Clinics, Emergency Rooms

Fighting off the new strain of flu is apparently a top priority for many. There’s been a surge in demand for the H1N1 vaccine at clinics across the GTA, school absenteeism has reportedly shot up, and visits to emergency rooms have increased.

“The atrium [at Sick Kids] was basically turned into an emergency waiting room,” parent Tyler LaJoie described.

“They were calling other nurses down from other units to assist with the overflow. It was crazy,” he added.

People lined up for up to three hours to get the shot at a clinic in Pickering Tuesday. Additional clinics across the GTA opened their doors Wednesday, including centres in Vaughan, Mississauga, Newmarket and Oakville (see below).

A long lineup snaked around the International Centre in Mississauga Wednesday morning more than an hour before the clinic was slated to open and the long waits continued through the day.

Toronto’s 10 vaccination clinics open Thursday — four days ahead of schedule — for everyone in high priority groups. Local health authorities announced Tuesday they’d fast-track the rollout of the H1N1 shot following the death of Evan Frustaglio.

Evan’s father, Paul Frustaglio, warned parents to keep a close eye on their children’s health this flu season. The grieving parent said the virus hit his child like a “lightning bolt”.

“Anybody who has a kid out there that’s not feeling good, just pay attention to your kid,” he said.

Health officials have stressed Evan’s death was a rare occurrence and there are no plans in place to include young teenagers in the high-risk groups. 

Several parents have requested that school boards consider closing down schools if the number of flu cases get out of hand. Six schools in Toronto have reported more than 10 per cent of their pupils are off sick.

The Hospital for Sick Children has seen a big surge in patients, reporting double the amount of traffic it normally sees between Tuesday and Wednesday mornings this week.

“We are steadily seeing increased number of patients, really since the weekend things have been picking up and it’s influenza season so from that point of view it doesn’t surprise us,” Dr. Anne Matlow of Sick Kids said.

The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa also reported double the amount of patients in its ER over the weekend.

Telehealth Ontario is reporting approximately nine-hour waits for users wanting health advice. The service has implemented a triage system to pinpoint serious cases and speed up responses in those areas.

Telehealth: 1-866-797-0000
Telehealth TTY : 1-866-797-0007

According to the Ontario Ministry of Health, in a normal flu season up to 2,000 people die of complications, such as pneumonia, from the seasonal virus. Nearly 30 people have died of the H1N1 virus so far in the province.

Microbiologist Dr. Donald Low of Mount Sinai Hospital explained why this new strain of flu is much different than ones we’ve seen before.

“It strikes young people because young people are the least likely to have antibodies and an immune system that is able to fight it off,” he said. “Older people have seen lots of influenza, they’ve built up a strong immune system, especially by the time you’re over 65, so you’re least likely to get it.”

Low also addressed concerns people may have about the vaccine and its relatively quick approval.

“This vaccine is made the same way as seasonal flu vaccines have been made for the last three decades so we’ve got lots of experience there and these have been proven safe and effective,” he explained.

“What’s different this year in Canada is we have the adjuvant added to the vaccine. That’s a boost. It allows us to get four times more vaccine available for our public by boosting your immune system.”

Here’s a look at additional flu clinics open as of Wednesday across the GTA:

• Vaughan – Vellore Village Community Center
• Newmarket – Ray Twinney Complex
• Malton – International Centre
• Oakville – Halton Regional Centre

For a full list of clinics across the GTA and to find out if you’re in a high-priority group, click here.

---

 Parents are advised to keep their children home from school if they are feeling ill. Symptoms include: 

• fever (over 38C/100F)
• cough
• sore throat 
• joint pain or muscle aches
• fatigue or weakness
• headache

 

If your child has both a fever and a cough, plus one or more of the other symptoms, he or she probably has an influenza-like illness.

 

Note: In children under five years of age, vomiting or diarrhea may also be present, but not necessarily fever.