Vaccine delay ?Nothing political?: Doctor

Quebecers will have to wait a while longer before the H1N1 vaccine becomes available for free. The vaccine became available in the United States Oct. 5, and will be available in Britain before the end of the month. But it won’t hit doctors’ offices in Quebec until Nov. 15, the Montreal Regional Health Agency said.
The federal government has come under fire from opposition parties for taking “too long” to purchase the vaccine and make it available to the public. The Liberal Party accused the Harper government of “failing the public” by not speeding up availability.
According to Dr. Stephen Di Tommaso, a physician at the des Faubourgs CLSC, the delay doesn’t pose a serious threat.
“Usually the best time is October or November,” he said. “The shot lasts for about three or four months, so if you get it too soon, then it might wear off too soon anyway. But they’re working like hell to produce the best vaccine they can as soon as they can. I think this has virtually nothing to do with politics.”
The inoculation campaign will be conducted through the CLSC, the local health clinics run by the provincial government. As such, it will not be available at private clinics or Concordia Health Services. Additionally, the heightened effort in fighting H1N1 means that Quebec’s seasonal flu vaccination will not begin until early 2010. Asked whether there is a danger in focusing too greatly on H1N1, Di Tommaso said: “It’s going to be very hard to predict. On the one hand they want to be ready, because if there’s a pandemic they’ll be blasted for it, but on the other hand they’ll be blamed if they over-prepare. I think they’re sort of stuck. If [H1N1] ends up being a dud, one of the problems in the future is that people will disregard these warnings.”
When the vaccine gets to Quebec it will only be available to priority cases such as the chronically ill, young children, pregnant women and the elderly before being available to the larger population, Montreal Regional Health Agency spokesperson Chantal Huot said.
Some people have already been questioning the uproar over H1N1. Even seniors, those in the age group considered to be extremely vulnerable to H1N1, didn’t seem concerned about the delays.
“I’m not concerned at all. If you get it, you get it,” said 78-year-old Jim Martin. “I might get a flu shot this year, not that I know if it’ll do any good or not.”
Some seniors go so far to say they are suspicious of the vaccine. “I’m 81-years-old and I have never been to the doctor. That’s because I don’t take pills and shots. Half the people who get flu shots in my building get sick,” said Dave Ahmed. He then gave a smile and pointed to the floor: “Anyway, and at our age – we’re so close to the ground already.”

Quebecers will have to wait a while longer before the H1N1 vaccine becomes available for free. The vaccine became available in the United States Oct. 5, and will be available in Britain before the end of the month. But it won’t hit doctors’ offices in Quebec until Nov. 15, the Montreal Regional Health Agency said.
The federal government has come under fire from opposition parties for taking “too long” to purchase the vaccine and make it available to the public. The Liberal Party accused the Harper government of “failing the public” by not speeding up availability.
According to Dr. Stephen Di Tommaso, a physician at the des Faubourgs CLSC, the delay doesn’t pose a serious threat.
“Usually the best time is October or November,” he said. “The shot lasts for about three or four months, so if you get it too soon, then it might wear off too soon anyway. But they’re working like hell to produce the best vaccine they can as soon as they can. I think this has virtually nothing to do with politics.”
The inoculation campaign will be conducted through the CLSC, the local health clinics run by the provincial government. As such, it will not be available at private clinics or Concordia Health Services. Additionally, the heightened effort in fighting H1N1 means that Quebec’s seasonal flu vaccination will not begin until early 2010. Asked whether there is a danger in focusing too greatly on H1N1, Di Tommaso said: “It’s going to be very hard to predict. On the one hand they want to be ready, because if there’s a pandemic they’ll be blasted for it, but on the other hand they’ll be blamed if they over-prepare. I think they’re sort of stuck. If [H1N1] ends up being a dud, one of the problems in the future is that people will disregard these warnings.”
When the vaccine gets to Quebec it will only be available to priority cases such as the chronically ill, young children, pregnant women and the elderly before being available to the larger population, Montreal Regional Health Agency spokesperson Chantal Huot said.
Some people have already been questioning the uproar over H1N1. Even seniors, those in the age group considered to be extremely vulnerable to H1N1, didn’t seem concerned about the delays.
“I’m not concerned at all. If you get it, you get it,” said 78-year-old Jim Martin. “I might get a flu shot this year, not that I know if it’ll do any good or not.”
Some seniors go so far to say they are suspicious of the vaccine. “I’m 81-years-old and I have never been to the doctor. That’s because I don’t take pills and shots. Half the people who get flu shots in my building get sick,” said Dave Ahmed. He then gave a smile and pointed to the floor: “Anyway, and at our age – we’re so close to the ground already.”