Gatineau H1N1 clinic overrun in 1 hour
'Like people don't have lives'
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 | 4:18 PM ET
CBC News
Gatineau's only H1N1 vaccination clinic began turning people away just an hour after opening its doors to the public for the first time on Wednesday.
The clinic opened at 8:30 a.m at a downtown shopping centre, Les Promenades de l'Outaouais, and was scheduled to stay open until 7:30 p.m. However, so many people turned out to get the vaccine that by 9:20 a.m. health officials began refusing patients.
Madeleine Desrochers arrived at 8 a.m. with her four-year-old granddaughter, and neither got inoculated.
"We came here, we waited in line, waited in line, and finally they said, 'No vaccines, go back home.'"
Desrochers said she is anxious to be vaccinated because her grandson is sick with flu symptoms.
Isabelle Belair echoed Desrochers's frustration. She'd arrived at the clinic at 8:30 a.m. with her two small children.
"You're just waiting in line, finally to be said you're not gonna get the shot today and just come back tomorrow. Like people don't have lives."
Many of those turned away wondered whether the clinic had vaccinated non-priority patients and turned away high-risk ones. The clinic was supposed to provide vaccine exclusively to high-risk groups including:
- Women more than 20 weeks pregnant.
- Children between six months and five years old.
- Adults under 65 with chronic health conditions.
According to Gatineau officials, 60,000 high-risk people live in the city of about 300,000. There are currently eight nurses working at the clinic and they're able to vaccinate 700 patients a day.
Sylvain Dubé, a spokesman for Gatineau's health agency, said he was "very pleased" with how the clinic had worked, but urged people to respect the priority lists.
"The sooner we can vaccinate them, the sooner we can vaccinate you. They're people at risk. "
Dubé said vaccination clinics for the general public could begin around Nov. 9.
Corrections and Clarifications
- Gatineau's priority groups for the H1N1 vaccine include women more than 20 weeks pregnant, not women less than 20 weeks pregnant as previously reported. Oct. 30, 2009 | 9:40 a.m. ET
