Vaccine clinic changes cause problems for parent CORNER BROOK CLIFF WELLS The Western Star

Rose Anna Colbourne waits to be seen by a doctor with her son Jonathan Jaimes, 9, and Jennifer Rose, 11, at the flu clinic set up by Western Health at the back of the old Regina High School Monday. — Star photo by Geraldine Brophy

Paul Hoven is upset Western Health made an appointment to vaccinate his five-year-old daughter Danielle, but cancelled the appointment a few days later.

He got a call Thursday making the date for the swine flu shot and Saturday it was called off. He says he wasn’t given a reason, but he thinks it’s because she’s about seven months too old.

A few of his friends with children around the same age have run into the same thing.

“We got the phone call saying she’s going to be vaccinated, then they turn around and take it away from you,” Hoven said. “I don’t know why they did it.
“My wife and I figure because she’s school age, she is in school and she’s not high risk, that (she is) going to be done in school at the same time as the other kids.”

He knows things are changing all the time and his daughter will eventually get the swine flu shot, but the shifting risk groups and clinic dates makes it seem to him as though the health authority doesn’t know what its doing.

“Every time they turn around it’s changed like changing their underwear,” he said.

Dr. Greg Mercer, regional medical officer of health, knows the changes for H1N1 vaccination clinics are causing confusion.

“There was a lot of confusion because the narrowed target groups came out after supper Friday and we had already done a lot of our media interviews,” Mercer said.
“People aren’t happy,” he said. “I spent the better part of the day (Sunday) at the clinic in Stephenville and there were certainly people who were quite unhappy. We had people 45-years-of age with diabetes saying, ‘I need to get done.’
“We were saying: ‘We know you need to get done and we appreciate it, but at this time we’re only able to give the vaccine to who the minister indicates we give it to.’”

Drop in appointments for people in the high-risk groups are available today at the public health clinic at 347 O’Connell Drive in Corner Brook starting at 9 a.m.

There are also drop in appointments available at 149 Montana Dr. in Stephenville starting at 9 a.m.

In Deer Lake at the Xavier School Complex a clinic is slated for noon- 8 p.m. Wednesday.

The Pollards Point Public Health Clinic begins giving shots Wednesday at 9 a.m., as well clinics are to be held at the municipal building in Norris Point, the Rufus Guinchard Health Centre in Port Saunders and the Calder Health Centre in Burgeo.

A Wednesday clinic is also set for St. James Elementary in Port aux Basques at noon.

In addition to the above, H1N1 immunization clinics for all residents of the following communities will take place on the south coast: St. Simon St. Jude School at Francois at 9:30 a.m. and the Western Health clinics in Grey River at 12:30 p.m. and Grand Bruit at 2:30 p.m.

Ramea held its clinic Monday.

Up to Sunday evening Western Health had given about 4,800 doses of vaccine.
Move vaccine is due Thursday.

On Wednesday, Western Health will begin taking appointments for pregnant women to receive the unadjuvanted vaccine.

High-risk groups

Children 6-59 months (under 5 years)
Age 5-24 years with chronic health conditions
Women 20-40 weeks pregnant
Two primary caregivers children under six months
Two primary caregivers of immuno-compromised children up to 24 years of age who cannotbe vaccinated themselves

Source: Department of Health