Edmonton school immunization delayed
Last Updated: Wednesday, November 4, 2009 | 6:45 PM MT
CBC News
School immunization programs for Grade 5 and Grade 9 students in Edmonton have been suspended, Alberta Health announced Wednesday.
Students will have to wait until January for vaccinations to protect them against hepatitis B, chicken pox and other diseases. Health officials want to focus on the H1N1 vaccination program.
"The H1N1 immunization program is our highest priority," said Dr. Marcia Johnson, acting medical officer of health for the Edmonton area. "So we really need to make sure that we have the highest capacity to meet the demand as possible."
The delay in the school program affects about 40,000 children in the Edmonton area.
"This is an important program, but we don't think the two-month window will put the children at any significant risk," Johnson said.
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