MORE RISK GROUPS ADDED TO H1N1 VACCINATION CAMPAIGN

With an anticipated amount of up to 60,000 new doses to be received in Saskatchewan next week, the H1N1 flu vaccination campaign will be expanded to other risk groups.

"We will next vaccinate people at risk under the age of 35 with underlying health problems and put a special focus on immune-compromised individuals of all ages," Saskatchewan's Chief Medical Health Officer Dr. Moira McKinnon said. "A more explicit definition of underlying health problems and immune-compromised will be communicated in the coming days."

The vaccine is expected to arrive Wednesday, November 11, and the expansion will take place late next week or early the week after.

"Until then, we will continue to vaccinate pregnant and immediate post-partum women, people in remote and isolated communities, children from six months to Grade Six and health care workers who have not yet been vaccinated," McKinnon said.

To date, 194,600 doses of H1N1 vaccine have been received. When the additional 60,000 doses are received and sent to regions, there will be enough to vaccinate 28 per cent of Saskatchewan's population.

Regional health authorities will decide based on the traffic in their clinics exactly how it will roll out in each region. For information on flu clinics in your area, please log onto www.healthlineonline.ca, or call Healthline at 1-877-800-0002.

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For more information, contact:

Karen Hill
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083