Prince George- Northern Health has begun expanding the list of priority groups eligible to receive the H1N1 vaccine across the region this week, depending on demand for the vaccine supply.

 

“Northern Health’s ability to expand distribution of the vaccine across the region will vary from community to community, based on the amount of vaccine available and the number of individuals in various priority groups who attend local immunization clinics,” said Dr. David Bowering, Northern Health chief medical health officer. “Because of the difficulty in predicting demand for the vaccine, the expansion of eligibility to additional groups will vary from clinic to clinic.”

 

To date, Northern Health has targeted the vaccine for those at highest risk from H1N1; people UNDER 65 years of age with chronic health conditions; pregnant women; and, residents of remote and/or isolated communities. Individuals who fall into these categories will continue to be able to receive the vaccine if they haven’t already, as eligibility is expanded to accommodate other groups who need or want the vaccine.

 

The next priority groups to be added to the eligibility list include:

 

o        Children from 6 months to under 5 years of age

o        Household contacts of infants younger than 6 months of age

o        Household contacts of individuals with compromised immune systems

o        Health care workers in critical care settings (emergency and intensive care, for example) including paramedics

 

“Public health staff in Northern Health are working very hard to ensure that the highest priority groups are the first to receive the H1N1 vaccine across the region”, added Dr. Bowering. “This massive effort is influenced by vaccine availability, the logistics of distribution and on the number of people who attend local clinics.”