Vaccination of seniors has started in some regions of Quebec. (Manu Fernandez/AP Photo)Confirmation that Quebec will receive more doses of the swine flu vaccine than expected next week means immunization of seniors can start immediately in many of the province's regions, said Health Minister Yves Bolduc Thursday.

During the provincial government’s daily update on the swine flu pandemic, Bolduc confirmed the province now expects to receive 1.1 million doses of the vaccine next week — nearly double what it has received on a weekly basis so far.

If the supplier of the vaccine, GlaxoSmithKline, is able to maintain its production levels, Bolduc said he is confident all Quebecers who want the vaccine will be able to receive it by Christmas.

"Because we are going to have more doses, we can do faster …vaccination," said Bolduc while announcing that seniors over the age of 65 would be the next group prioritized for vaccination.

The vaccine targets the H1N1 influenza A virus that causes swine flu.

The province had faced criticism for not making seniors one of the first priority groups to be vaccinated against the swine flu.

Officials in Montreal confirmed they would begin vaccinating seniors immediately, though in the Montérégie region, officials said it would still take some time before they could start vaccinating the elderly.

Though nurses will be available to provide shots to people with limited mobility in their own home, Bolduc said, officials are hoping most seniors will be able to come to vaccination centres on their own.

Bolduc said officials will start allocating vaccination appointment times a day ahead of time by way of coupons that people can pick up at the clinic locations.

Officials appealed to people to help those in need of assistance.Health Minister Yves Bolduc says if the supplier of the vaccine is able to maintain production levels, everyone can be vaccinated by Christmas. (CBC)

"You could go to get a coupon— or go to help register an elderly person [for their vaccination] and help them avoid having to make the trip or wait in line," said Michel C. Doré, the deputy minister of public security. "Or, you could take them to get their vaccine."

The government's plan to accelerate the vaccination of seniors was music to the ears of Pointe-Claire resident Allan Dean.

A diabetic, Dean had been concerned about the idea of waiting until mid-December, when officials in Montreal had initially planned to start vaccinating seniors.

"It makes me feel really good — and I am sure a lot of people feel relieved as well," said Dean.

So far, Quebec has confirmed 42 swine flu-related deaths since the start of the second wave of the pandemic began Aug. 30.