Swine flu fears keep Montreal children home
Last Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2009 | 11:36 AM ET
CBC News
Some worried parents are keeping their healthy children out of daycare because of concerns about swine flu in Montreal's preschool population.
At one centre in Dollard-des-Ormeaux on the West Island, 17 of 60 children stayed home on Wednesday.
Linda Garcia kept her two sons at home for the past week on the advice of her pediatrician.
"I'm a little skeptical about this vaccine. It was mass-produced in such a short time," she said. "I worry about giving something to my kids that wasn't really tested a lot. I just don't know what to do at this point."
Dr. Richard Haber, director of the Pediatric Consultation Centre at the Montreal Children's Hospital, said he can't fault parents for pulling their healthy children out of daycare to protect them from the flu.
But he said it's still no guarantee their children won't run into the H1N1 swine flu virus on a contaminated surface somewhere outside daycare.
"As soon as it is possible, I would definitely go for the immunization. It is the best way of protecting both yourself and your children," he said.
Starting at 8 a.m. ET Thursday, 10 vaccination centres will be open on the island of Montreal and will begin vaccinating:
- Children between the ages of six months and five years.
- Parents and siblings of babies under six months.
- Pregnant women at least 20 weeks into their pregnancy (adjuvant vaccine only).
- Pregnant women with a chronic illness (adjuvant vaccine only).
Officials said the vaccine without the adjuvant, the substance added to the vaccine to stimulate a stronger immune response, is not yet available in Quebec.
