Ottawa kids won't get H1N1 shots at school
Last Updated: Thursday, November 5, 2009 | 7:17 PM ET
CBC News
School-age children in Ottawa will not receive H1N1 vaccinations at school, Ottawa's medical officer of health confirmed Thursday.
Speaking at a city's community and protective services committee meeting Thursday, Dr. Isra Levy said experience has shown that giving shots through schools is often a slow process, largely because of delays public health officials experience in getting parental consent to administer the vaccine.
"The first question I had was 'How long will it take us to move through 350 schools?' And the answer was several months."
It would be impossible to set up vaccination programs at all schools at the same time, Levy said, and it would be difficult to explain to parents why some schools had been given priority over others.
Children age 5 to 18 are the next priority group that the city hopes to inoculate against the strain of H1N1 influenza A causing the current swine flu pandemic. Currently, it is focusing on vaccinating children age six months to five years, people up to age 65 with chronic health issues, people who live with infants under the age of six months and health-care workers.
Half-doses might be enough
Levy also answered questions about why Ottawa Public Health is administering half-doses of the H1N1 vaccine to children under 6 years of age. Levy said young children's bodies can't handle a full dose.
Scientists are now trying to determine whether a half-dose will be enough to provide young children with immunity to H1N1, but those results won't be released until next week.
It would be good news if a half-dose was enough, because young children wouldn't have to return for a second dose as they do now, and that would take some stress off the vaccine clinics, Levy said.
