The Heartland Health Region has found itself in an unusual situation this flu season.
A sudden and severe H1N1 influenza virus has emerged as the predominant flu strain and it is increasingly hitting otherwise healthy people later into the 2013-2014 flu season than usual with the anticipation that the influenza activity is going to peak in the next couple weeks. These people being hit could have been protected had they received a common flu shot back at a public clinic in October, but are now looking for a shot at this late date when the supply of vaccine is limited.
Dr. David Torr, consulting medical health officer with the Heartland Health Region, said they are trying as best as possible to get in more vaccine and they did receive some last week. He said this vaccine would be distributed at some new public clinics in the region that are advertised on the Heartland Health website and through making appointments through an area’s local public health office.
“The challenge we are having now is keeping the supply matched with the demand,” said Torr, noting by this time the region usually just goes to appointments to provide the shot. “There have been a bit of logistical challenges with the vaccine coming in. The supply for us is from the province and the province has been trying to get it from out East, but with the weather conditions some of the couriers were a little reluctant to transport without insuring that the vaccine doesn’t freeze on the way and get destroyed.”
Torr said another issue with providing flu shots to the 75 per cent of the Heartland Health Region’s population that is un-immunized is demand versus what is available. He said by this time of the season most jurisdictions or suppliers have stopped providing vaccine assuming that whoever wanted a flu shot has got one already.
“This is a bit of a different situation where we’ve been seeing this sudden severe illness and then people are waking up and saying ‘oh, I better get it now too’ whereas historically many would say ‘it’s nothing I’m going to bother with.’ Now more people are showing interest.”
The H1N1 flu strain is also different in that the region normally sees more illness or severe illness in people over 65 years of age or those with underlying medical conditions, while the flu circulating this year is showing more aggression towards children under five years old as well as adults between the ages of 20 and 64 who don’t have any predisposed issues.
To read more please see the January 13 print edition of The Davidson Leader.