Chronically ill left out of new swine flu program
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 3:52 PM MT
CBC News
Some Albertans with chronic health conditions are upset they won't be offered the swine flu shot this week along with pregnant women and very young children.
Massive lines, often outside in the cold, kept many people with chronic illnesses at home last week when the flu clinics were open to all Albertans.
The clinics were closed by Sunday and Alberta Health blamed a vaccine shortage and overwhelmed health-care workers. When those clinics re-open on Thursday, lining up won't even be an option for those suffering from chronic illnesses.
Calgary mother Christine Fitzpatrick has an adult daughter with a chronic condition who has been given a seasonal flu shot every year in her nursing home, but hasn't yet received an H1N1 shot, which targets the strain of H1N1 influenza A virus responsible for the current swine flu pandemic.
"There are a lot of other people in the same situation as my daughter and they are all being forgotten," she said.
Adding more groups in the future
Although people under 65 with chronic health conditions are considered high risk for complications from H1N1, Alberta health officials are holding off for now on adding them to the list of those eligible to receive the vaccine, arguing there is only enough supply right now for pregnant women and very young children, who are also high-risk.
"We are targeting the priority groups for the foreseeable future," said Dr. Gerry Predy, Alberta Health Services' senior medical officer of health on Wednesday.
"We'll be adding, as more vaccine becomes available, other high-priority groups. For the general public that is still sometime down the road. Again we can't answer the specific time frame because we don't know what the vaccine supply is going to be."
Fitzpatrick said her daughter is more vulnerable than most who will be getting the shot on Thursday.
"Her body can't react to illness the way a typical person can, even a pregnant person, even a five year old. My daughter is more susceptible than they are, yet she is not being considered in this at all and I am very confused about it," she said Wednesday during a call-in with CBC Radio's program Wildrose.
Frustration at AIDS Calgary
At AIDS Calgary, executive director Susan Cress said she was hoping Alberta's latest attempt to offer H1N1 shots to only high-risk groups would clean up last week's mess.
"What an incredible waste of time. I think we're frustrated," she said.
Tony, who asked that his last name not be used, is a 48-year-old Calgary man with HIV. He has had six heart attacks, takes 18 different pills every day, and is too weak to carry his groceries. He is staying at home until it is his turn to get he vaccine.
"I know it might sound paranoid, but it's the way it is," he said. "I know how sick I got when it was simple pneumonia. It scares me all that much more."
Auditor General Fred Dunn said Wednesday he's considering auditing the planning, implementation and reporting of Alberta's H1N1 immunization rollout.
When the province's clinics reopen on Thursday they will only be for children older than six months and less than five years old. Parents will be asked to provide proof of age, and family members who line up with their children won't be vaccinated.
On Friday, the clinics will be expanded to include pregnant women, who will be able to get a non-boosted version of the vaccine. They won't be asked to prove they are pregnant.
Vaccination of both groups will continue through the weekend and pregnant women and young children will not be turned away as other groups are added to the eligibility list.
